The Betrayal of the Light
by Hannibal ad Portas
Summary: AU postOotP. Harry gets a visit from Sirius, and realizes that if he wants to win the war, he must forge his own destiny. Of course, it's never that simple, is it? Betrayed, he must seek out new allies, and form an army of his own. Major HG
1. Home Sweet Home

A/N

Hello! This is my first attempt at this, so please be nice. I'm not British, so if you have advice or comments on how the characters talk, locations, or anything to do with that, PLEASE let me know. I need a LOT of feedback in that area. This story will be H/G (duh), with some implied R/H, I haven't decided if it will go beyond that….

Summary: The story starts out on Harry's ride "home" from King's Cross Station, after the closing of The Order of the Phoenix, however, it will not be a year 6 story. Instead, it will cover several years (I'm not sure exactly how long yet). For those of you anxious for the H/G action, don't worry – I'm not very good at making it take too long before all that comes about. Don't expect them to jump into each other's arms either though.

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one that I write of in this story. It all belongs to the wonderful, brilliant J.K. Rowling.

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Chapter 1

Home Sweet Home

Scenery scrolled past the small car at an absurdly fast pace, like some sort of surreal film on the television. The colors merged together, and objects whizzing by seemed blurred and distorted, making them difficult to identify.

A young boy, nearly 16 years of age, sat in the rear of the car. His forehead was pressed against the glass of the window, and he was watching the strange film, though he wasn't really seeing it.

His name was Harry Potter, and he was on his way home with his relatives from his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The Happiness he'd felt as his friends confronted the Dursleys was quickly fading, as the prospect of another summer at Privet Drive loomed before him, dark and foreboding, once again.

He vaguely noted, with some small amusement, that his uncle had started shouting at him about the threats the Order had made at the train station. He didn't really hear anything Vernon was saying, however, for at the moment, he simply didn't care.

He turned to watch his cousin Dudley, sitting on the seat next to him, trying desperately to take up as little room as possible. Poor Dudley's effort was wasted, however, as he was easily large enough to take up the entire back seat of the car, and thus was leaving Harry little room.

Harry watched his overly large cousin cast him fearful glances with something akin to pity. After all, it must be incredibly hard being that big. Harry wouldn't know, of course, always having been rather small (no doubt due to spending 10 years in a dark cupboard), but still......it didn't look like much fun.

The car started to slow down, and Harry was surprised to find that they'd arrived at their destination: Number 4, Privet Drive. They pulled into the driveway, and Harry unbuckled his seatbelt, opened his door, and got out. His brain dimly registered his uncle yelling at him to get his things inside quickly, as he mechanically opened the boot to do just that.

He managed to drag his trunk upstairs, with much huffing and puffing, and dropped it heavily on his bed to breathe a sigh of mingled relief, bitterness, and grief. 'Home sweet home,' he thought with a touch of sarcasm. 'As if this place could _ever _be home. I don't care what Professor Dumbledore says, I'll be damned if I'm going to let him keep me here. As soon as my birthday comes, I'm taking the Knight Bus to the Burrow, whether he likes it or not.'

With that comforting thought, he opened up his trunk and started to unpack a few of his things, making a mental note to featherweight charm it the moment he could do so once again.

Unpacking finished, he opened the window for whenever Hedwig should arrive, having let her out at King's Cross to make the journey to Little Whinging on her own.

Shoving his now half-empty trunk into a corner, Harry collapsed on his bed as the thoughts he'd been pushing away for the last couple of weeks came crashing back upon him all at once.

Struggling under the onslaught of so many painful memories, Harry was hard pressed to keep from bursting into tears right then. He angrily pushed the guilt and sorrow to the back of his mind and dried his eyes. Crying didn't help, it only showed weakness, and it was best not to think of it anyway.

Sighing in exasperation, he decided to head down for dinner. He wasn't really hungry, but anything to take his mind off Sirius was welcome right then.

That night, Harry awoke quite late from a particularly nasty nightmare involving Sirius. Shuddering and gasping in a cold sweat, he was thankful he'd managed to keep from crying out. That would simply make the Dursleys angry. He glanced at the illuminated clock face on his nightstand and groaned aloud in consternation - only 2:11 AM.

He thought back to the dream he had just had. It had started out fairly normal, with Sirius falling through the veil in that horrifyingly slow, graceful arc, but then it had shifted strangely. He'd found himself once again in the Death Chamber, only this time there was no battle raging around him on all sides, and Sirius wasn't falling through the veil. He was simply alone, looking at the dais in the center of the room. The veil was still fluttering slightly in that unseen breeze, and the only sounds he could hear was his own breathing and the odd whisper, as of barely detected voices, emanating from the dais. He tried desperately to hear what the voices were saying, to no avail.

Suddenly, the veil shifted, and Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, slowly stepped out.

He looked truly awful - far worse even than when he'd been in Azkaban. His face was quite literally as pale as a ghost's, and his eyes were sunken and expressionless. He was so skinny you could see virtually every bone in his body frighteningly clearly.

Once out from behind the veil, he turned to look at Harry with sightless eyes, making him cringe in shame, guilt, and horror. Then, Harry woke up.

That dream had definitely been strange. Not really like any dream he'd had before. Except.....Harry's eyes narrowed as a thought occured to him. The last time a dream had been like that was when Voldemort was sending him visions for the last year. Was he at it again? It was difficult to tell, as the visions and dreams were very very similar, but over time, Harry had started to get the hang of telling the difference, and now he wondered if the Dark Lord wasn't trying to mess with his mind once again.

He leapt out of bed to pull together his writing implements and start a letter to Dumbledore asking for occlumency lessons. Then he stopped. Occlumency was supposed to defend against Legilimency wasn't it? But Voldemort wasn't using Legilimency was he? After all, you needed eye contact, and as far as Harry knew, he wasn't exactly staring at a pair of red eyes in his sleep.

In fact, Occlumency seemed to have a rather detrimental effect on keeping Voldemort at bay in Harry's mind. Harry leaned back in his desk chair as he considered this. What should he do? He considered writing Dumbledore for a moment, but tossed that away immediately. He wasn't feeling particularly charitable towards the ancient professor just now. Asking for emergency Occlumency lessons was one thing, but asking for advice? Not bloody likely, not after the way the man had treated him for the last year.

Well, there was nothing really he could do right now. He wasn't even sure that Voldemort was behind that dream. After all, the dreams and visions were very similar - he might just be overreacting to a bad dream. He resolved to investigate this further in the morning and went back to bed, though his body refused to do more than doze restlessly for the remainder of the night.

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A/N Well there it is. What do you think? Please review, I'm feeling very insecure about this story at the moment. OK........not really, but review anyway! I'll probably get chapter 2 up sometime within the next couple days, expect it to be longer than this chapter was!


	2. The First Letter

A/N

Well, here's chapter two! Many thanks to my first three reviewers: etcies, mysticruby, andlmill123 (listed first to latest). Also a big thank you to my brother, who's help with ideas and feedback has been invaluable.

Review responses at the bottom

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one that I write of in this story. It all belongs to the wonderful, brilliant J.K. Rowling.

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Chapter 2

The First Letter

Harry was up before his Aunt Petunia the next morning, and decided to make breakfast before she told him to for once. He really didn't have anything else to do anyway. He rubbed his eyes and sighed tiredly as he put a pan of bacon on the stove.

Once he finished cooking the rather large breakfast, he set it all on the table and decided to eat his own as fast as possible, before the Dursleys came down and consumed it all. He had just polished off two helpings of bacon and eggs, and was reaching for another slice of toast, when his aunt came stalking into the kitchen. She pursed her lips as she saw the food already laid out on the table, obviously quite upset that she could find nothing to criticize.

Then her eyes lit up with glee. "Thought you'd get out of your chores for the day by fixing breakfast did you, boy?" she asked. Apparently she _had_ found a way to criticize. She wasn't done speaking though. "We'll just see about that then. Here's your list of chores for the day" She gestured to a piece of paper taped to the refridgerator. "See that you do everything on there by dinner time, or you'll get nothing to eat."

After the night he'd had, Harry was in no mood for this. So he said one simple word, and into that word he poured every bit of disdain, anger, and force he could muster.

"No"

Petunia gave a violent start, and jerked around from where she'd been staring out the kitchen window to stare at him in amazement. He'd never refused to do chores before. "What did you say to me, boy?" she demanded angrily.

Harry looked her steadily right in the eye. "No," he repeated. "I refuse to act as your slave anymore. Have your fat lump of a son do the chores for once."

"Why you ungrateful little.." she started, but Harry didn't hear any more, because he had stalked out the back door, slamming it angrily behind him.

He decided he'd better cool off before he lost control of his magic, the incident with Aunt Marge three years before was still fairly recent reminder of what tended to happen if he got too angry. Without even realizing it, he headed for the park. Once there, he sat down under a nearby tree, having noticed that the last swing had been broken sometime recently. Legs spread wide in front of him, he relaxed slightly as his mind drifted back to what he'd just told his aunt. Apparently the Order's warning hadn't had any effect on them. Well he'd take care of that. He was most definitely not going to take anything from them this summer, not after the positively lousy year he'd just managed to have. No doubt about it, this year had been his worst at Hogwarts by far.

His gaze swept around the park and he noticed with surprise that there were already a few mothers with their children here, even though it couldn't have been later than eight or so. He smiled slightly when he saw a small girl, no more than four or five, squeal with delight when she slid down the nearby slide. His smile turned to a frown when he saw that several of the mothers were eyeing him with distrust, and he let out a sad sigh. The Dursleys were obviously still portraying him as a juvenile delinquent, and he couldn't really blame the muggles for believing them. After all, he did look the part. Baggy, shabby-looking clothes, horribly messed up hair that looked like he never took care of it, and he was a bit odd....being a wizard tended to make one odd.

He shook himself mentally and ignored the women that were still shooting him suspicious glances. He turned his own gaze back to the little girl he'd seen earlier. She was nearing the top of the slide again, and had a look of anticipation on her innocent face. Harry idly wondered what it'd be like to have a child of his own someday. Some might have thought it odd that a teenage boy was thinking about having children, but for Harry, this sort of thing was normal. He didn't really know what was normal for other people anyway, and the one thing in the world he wanted the most was a family. Perhaps one day he would have one.

His thoughts suddenly took a darker turn. How was he ever supposed to have a family if he was going to be killed by Voldemort. Oh, Harry had no doubts he'd lose. What chance did he have against the most powerful Dark Lord for centuries?

Still, it'd be nice. He'd come home from work in the evening, and his little girl would come laughing and screaming into his arms. He'd read her stories in front of the fire as she fell asleep in his lap. He could almost picture her, she'd have his eyes, and red hair that seemed to burn in the firelight....

Suddenly, Harry sat bolt upright. Red hair? Where on_ earth_ had _that _come from? He gave a small chuckle. Obviously, he'd been spending too much time with the Weasleys lately. He was starting to see everyone with red hair. Still, as he laid back against the tree once again, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something.

That night, Harry lay face down on his bed, with his Potions book laid out before him on his pillow. He didn't really think there was any way he'd made an O on his Potions O.W.L., but he figured he could always study hard and take his N.E.W.T. independantly if Snape wouldn't let him join the advanced class. Professor McGonagall had already promised to help him, and he could most likely get Hermione to tutor him if he needed more help. That thought had him repressing a shudder. He'd only do that as a last resort. Hermione was bright, exceptionally so, but it caused her to forget that not everyone was up to her level, this tended to make her teaching rather frustrating and exhausting.

Harry rubbed his eyes tiredly and pinched himself to try to stay awake as long as possible. It was past midnight, but he didn't want to have nightmares again, so he was trying to spend only a bare minimum of time sleeping. It was unhealthy, he knew, but Harry never was very good at staying healthy, and after Sirius, he'd do pretty much anything to avoid nightmares as much as possible.

He started examining the page his book was currently turned to again. He'd decided to look up dreamless sleep potions, and was engrossed in the theories and effects of the various types. Unfortunately, it seemed escape from his nightmares did not lie in this avenue. Apparently, dreamless sleep potions were rather like some muggle drugs, they tended to be addictive if used too often. He could use them once a week or so to avoid that, but that would cause his body to build up an eventual immunity to them.

He let out a sight of exasperation and slammed the book shut. He'd have to think of a different way. Even if he could get rid of some of the nightmares by blocking Voldemort somehow (though he still wasn't sure that Voldemort was even involved in that strange one the night before), he'd still have the normal nightmares coming from his subconcious, and those were bad enough.

In a desperate attempt to stay awake a little longer, Harry cast his eyes around the room, hoping the movement would keep them from drifting closed, as they had been attempting to do for the last half hour. His eyes fell on Hedwig's empty cage, causing a frown creased his features. Hedwig had not returned since he'd arrived back at Privet Drive, and he was beginning to worry.

As if in answer to his thoughts, an insistant tapping started at his window, and Harry grinned when he recognized his snowy owl hovering outside. He sprang out of bed to let her in, and untied the letters she offered him the second she stretched out her leg. Thankful for something to do, he stroked Hedwig affectionately and settled down at his desk to read.

Hedwig must've been at the Burrow, for the topmost letter was from none other than his best friend, Ron Weasley. He eagerly slit the envelope open and scanned the letter. What he read made him scowl. Ron was trying to get him to talk about the events of the Department of Mysteries. He angrily threw the letter into the corner of his room. He didn't want to talk. They didn't understand, nobody did, and there was nobody that ever would.

That thought made him stop. Wasn't there? The last time he'd felt like this, there had been a very angry voice reminding him that that wasn't true, that someone did know what he felt like.

A small smile came over him as he thought of her. Ginny. Ron's little sister. 'Not so little any more..' The thought made his smile grow larger. He had learned over the last year that Ginny was quite an interesting person. She had a very amusing and bright personality, but she also had a rather nasty temper when upset. He had learned that the hard way after last Christmas.

He looked back down at the bunch of letters on his desk. Sure enough, the next one was from Ginny. He slowly slit the envelope open, and leaned back in his chair to read.

_Dear Harry,_

_How's life with the muggles? Not good I'm sure. Fred, George, and I have decided to help you with this and are preparing a "care" package for you. I'm sure you can guess what sort of things will be in this package. Don't worry, your relatives will simply love them._

Harry smiled broadly. Knowing the twins, "love" was a very long stretch for how the Dursleys would react. He considered her question for a moment. Truth be told, life with the Dursleys was rather awful at the moment. He fully expected his uncle to yell at him for what he'd told his aunt this morning, so he'd waited until after dinnertime to come home, and snuck into his room.

His stomach growled at the very thought. All he'd had to eat since the morning was a couple chocolate frogs. He couldn't avoid his relatives forever. He'd just have to face the music in the morning. He wasn't going to let them bully him though. Not a chance. He was going to let them know exactly how he felt, in no uncertain terms. With that pleasing thought, he returned to the letter.

_Do you think you could do me a favor? Ron's being his usual overprotective self and giving me a hard time about Dean. Do you think you could tell Ron about how attractive Dean finds me or some such rubbish? I still can't believe he actually fell for the whole thing, so I'm going to try to annoy him with it as much as possible._

By this time, Harry had collapsed onto the floor and was trying desperately to hold back his laughter. It wouldn't do to wake the Dursleys. It took him nearly ten minutes, but he eventually did get enough of a handle on himself to start reading again.

_I know that Ron and Hermione are going to be trying to get you to open up and talk about snuffles, so I just want you to know that I do to some extent understand what you're going through. After the Chamber incident, I felt incredibly guilty for not only almost getting you killed, but also almost getting all those students killed. I know that you aren't ready to talk yet, but I want you to know that if you ever are ready, I'm willing to listen._

Harry expected himself to be angered by this, but for some reason, he just couldn't be. She was right, she did understand, but she wasn't pushing him. She knew he wasn't ready, and he would only talk when he was.

He thought of what she said about the Chamber, and suddenly felt incredibly guilty. That must've been extremely hard for her to deal with on her own, and he hadn't even tried to help her, or for that matter, given her the time of day. He instantly resolved to be a better friend to her from that moment on.

_That's all I have time for right now....Ron's giving me grief about writing to you. Honestly, you'd think he was your only friend or something._

_Sincerely,_

_Ginny_

Harry grabbed his writing implements to draft a reply. It looked like Ginny was his new penfriend, since Ron and Hermione were most likely going to be trying to get him to open up. Well, he wasn't going to open up that easy. He'd just ignore their letters until they worked that out. Except for a brief letter about Dean of course.

_Dear Ginny,_

_I can't tell you how happy I was to receive your letter. Ron's put me in a bit of a foul mood, yet yours was quite a welcome relief._

_I am eagerly awaiting the "package" to be sent by everyone's favorite pranksters (I take it you're now one of them?) as my family is being intolerably horrible, despite the Order's warnings. Please don't tell the Order this, I plan on making life miserable for them all on my own if they mess with me, and I have a few ideas on how to do so. Needless to say, anything you three send me will be a tremendous help in this endevour._

_I will be happy to help with your Ron problem by the way, as I hate to see anyone trying to control someone else's life, as you may imagine. He is most defnitely getting out of hand, and needs to realize that you are neither a child, nor helpless, and should be free to make your own choices. Oh, and don't be so surprised he fell for it. You were quite convincing in the car, and the only reason I didn't believe you was because I overheard Dean telling Seamus he intended to ask out Melinda Warden (one of your roommates I believe?) next term. _

_Thank you so much for understanding, Ginny. I promise I shall talk when I am ready, and at this rate, I doubt I'll be telling Ron or Hermione anything for a long time. You're right, you do understand, and I promise we'll talk soon._

_I feel the need to apologize. I have been incredibly selfish over the years. I failed to even notice what you were going through after the whole incident in the Chamber. I'm not sure I could've helped in any way (undoubtedly your family was much more helpful than I could've been), but I should've at the very least paid enough attention to know something was going on. Who knows? Perhaps my story of what happened may have given you some perspective on the whole business. In fact, how are you doing about all that? If you ever feel the need to talk about it, I am also happy to listen. I know it's been a long time, but I suppose I know better than most how long "scars" can linger._

_I also feel I've been incredibly ignorant for not even noticing what a wonderful person you are, and I feel a sense of loss knowing that I could've had a good friend in you a long time ago, and perhaps even noticed earlier what was going on with the whole diary thing if I had been your friend. I hope you can forgive me for being as thick as Ron. Are we friends? If not, I would certainly like to get to know you better. I need all the friends I can get._

_Tell Ron that he has no monopoly on writing to me, and to leave you alone or face the consequences. Maybe we can pull a joint prank on him or something if he doesn't._

_Your Friend (I hope),_

_Harry_

He signed it with a flourish and scanned back over his work. Yes, it would do. He sealed it in an envelope and set it off to the side. He'd send it in the morning.

That brought him to the last letter of the lot. He flipped it over and looked at the name. It was from Fred and George. This, naturally, made Harry extremely wary of opening it, since letters from the twins tended to have unpleasant consequences for those who opened them rashly.

Leaning as far away from the envelope as he could, he very carefully slit it open, and jumped back quickly.

Nothing happened.

Still cautious, Harry very slowly stepped back to his desk and gingerly pulled the letter out of the envelope. Still expecting some sort of trick, he unfolded it and read quickly. The twins had apparently been writing at the same time, as there were two different colored inks on the page, and the handwriting (though unnaturally similar) was slightly different for both of the colors.

_To our esteemed investor,_

**_You'll be pleased to know that business is simply booming! Apparently, our little stunts before we left last year have inspired dozens of aspiring pranksters to make Filch's life miserable next year, and we're already getting loads of customers in the new shop._**

_Yeah, and we've been putting a percentage of our profits into a Gringott's account for you._

_**I was just getting to that, Gred, no need to interrupt. Anyway, we won't take no for an answer on this. We don't take charity, and we consider you a silent partner.**_

_Say, you wouldn't mind backing the company openly would you? Harry Potter as our backer would be good publicity...._

_**Leave the man alone, Gred! You know he hates his fame, and besides, then Mum'd know he helped us, and we wouldn't wish that sort of torture on anyone.**_

_Oh, right. Sorry Harry, my rather loud twin has a point, for once._

_**Why you little.....**_

_Now now, Forge, we're writing to each other instead of Harry. Back to the letter._

_**I'll deal with you later. Now where was I Harry? Ah yes, the account. We'll send you the key for it with your "care package," which we're sure our darling sister has told you all about.**_

_Ickle Gin-Gin is making us so proud. She's already being devious and helping us come up with brilliant ideas for the shop. It makes me want to burst into tears of joy._

_**Get a hold of yourself! That's all for now there Harrikins. We'll send that package sometime in the next week or so (we have one more product we want to finish "testing" before we give it to you to use)**_

_Speaking of that, where's Ron?_

_**He'll be down in a moment. So I guess we have to go now Harry, we have to "fix" Ron his dinner....**_

_**F&G**_

It took even longer for Harry to gain control of his laughter after this letter, and by the time he did, it was past two in the morning. Finding himself barely able to keep his eyes open, he went resignedly to bed, dreading the nightmares sure to come.

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review responses:

**etcies: **You were my first ever reviewer! Thank you so much! Can you tell me what it was that confused you? I don't want anyone else to have the same problem if I can fix it.....

**mysticruby**: Thanks! I'm a huge Harry/Ginny fan as well. In fact, I find I have a hard time reading fics that aren't H/G (and I can't read ones that contradict it at all)

**lmill123: **Thanks for your review! I agree, it is somewhat suspicious isn't it? Although, I just can't bring myself to believe that Dumbledore did it on purpose. I rather think that he has just become too confident in his own knowledge and power, and trusts Snape entirely too much.

That's all for now. Chapter three up by the weekend I hope!


	3. A Lost One

A/N Well here's chapter 3. It took a really long time for the QuickEdit program to load it here on ff, but I think that was my comp's problem.

Anyway, I'd like to thank all my reviewers, and my brother (JeremyCamp-Stay) who assures me that my F&G letter was "inspired" though I still have my doubts.

I've decided to make this story from both Ginny and Harry's point of view, as opposed to JKR's typical Harry only style. I guess it makes sense to change that since I'm not writing a typical one year at school per book fic.

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Chapter 3

A Lost One

"BOY!"

Harry rolled over in his bed and groaned. Time to face the music. He would've like to have a little more sleep, since the nightmares seemed to disappear once he'd woken up and gone back to sleep, but he knew he couldn't ignore his uncle's summons.

"GET DOWN HERE NOW!"

This got Harry moving quickly. He may have been planning to stand up to his uncle, but that didn't mean he was going to aggravate him further by dawdling. Best to keep him in as good a mood as possible. Within moments, he was walking through the kitchen door, where his uncle was waiting, red-faced and swelling with rage.

Harry noticed this of course, but it did not phaze him in the slightest. "Yes, Uncle Vernon?" he asked calmly.

Vernon, if possible, seemed to become more angry at this. "Don't you give me that, boy," he spat. "I won't take any of your cheek any more."

Harry made no reply to this, but his eyes seemed to harden slightly, and if you looked closely, they seemed to glow just a little bit, as if with some sort of inner light. Vernon didn't seem to notice this, but both Petunia and Dudley - who had just walked in - did. Naturally, they both shrank slightly, as it made Harry look a little scary.

Vernon plunged on, oblivious. "Now what's this I hear about you not doing your chores? You'll do your share of work around here you ungrateful little brat, or you'll be out on the street. After all we've done for you, taken you in, fed you, clothed you..."

Harry could take no more. Abandoning his plan of remaining calm, he swelled in indignation and anger. He seemed to grow several inches, and his eyes shone so brightly it looked as if they could light a dark room bright as day all by themselves. He advanced on Vernon, who faltered slightly, and looked at his nephew in fear.

"SHUT UP!" Harry roared before Vernon could regain his composure. "I REFUSE TO TAKE THIS FROM YOU ANY MORE! YOU WILL NEVER TREAT ME LIKE A SLAVE AGAIN. UNGRATEFUL YOU SAY? WHY SHOULD I BE GRATEFUL TO YOU? YOU'VE DONE NOTHING BUT MAKE ME FEEL INSIGNIFICANT AND WORTHLESS SINCE I WAS A BABY! YOU LOCKED ME IN A CUPBOARD FOR TEN YEARS, AND HAVE NEVER GIVEN ME SO MUCH AS THE SMALLEST SIGN OF AFFECTION FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE!"

Vernon seemed to get back some of his courage, and roared straight back at his nephew. "DON'T YOU TALK LIKE THAT TO ME, BOY! WE'VE GIVEN YOU FAR MORE THAN YOU DESERVE, BUT YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A LAZY, INSIGNIFICANT CHILD. YOU WILL DO AS I SAY OR ELSE!"

Harry did not yell when he replied this time. Instead, his voice took on a deadly quiet tone. It was icy cold, and it made Petunia and Dudley shiver in fear when they heard it. "Do not cross me, Uncle. I am neither lazy, nor insignificant, nor a child." His eyes were glowing even brightly than before, but they seemed to also take on a haunted look, causing Petunia to gasp in shock. They were the eyes of one who had seen much pain and suffering in his lifetime, and they looked very out of place on a 16-year-old.

Harry wasn't finished speaking though, and he continued in the same icy tone he'd taken a moment before. "I have seen horrors like the likes of which haunt only your worst nightmares. I have fought trolls, dragons, and giant spiders. A 60-foot-long snake that can kill you with only a glance, creatures that suck out your very soul, and murderous raving lunatics who would kill you without a second thought. I have faced the most powerful and evil man ever to walk this earth, not once, but five times, and each time I have either defeated, or evaded him. I have seen death; seen it work, and looked it straight in the face, and yet I am still here. I say again do NOT cross me, Uncle, or you will regret it."

He wasn't bragging, anyone who saw the pain in his eyes could see that. He was simply stating a fact. He was also angry though, and one look at his towering figure was enough to convince even the most oblivious person of that. By the end of his little speech, every light bulb in the kitchen had shattered into a thousand pieces, and the air was fairly crackling with energy.

Even Vernon seemed to have lost the power of speech, and had grown gradually paler and more horrified as Harry spoke. By the time his nephew had ceased talking, he was shivering in fear of the young man before him.

Harry, having seen the light bulbs break, decided to get out of there as quickly as possible, before something awful happened. He knew all too well what tended to happen when his magic got too far out of control, and was afraid he'd do something rather....unpleasant....to his relatives. Without even a backward glance, he stormed out the back door, leaving behind a deafening silence.

Harry stormed down the sidewalk towards the park, his eyes still (literally) blazing with fury, though it had begun to abate. He was sure he must look a sight, with his extremely baggy jeans and t-shirt, and his eyes looking like twin flashlights, not to mention his already messy hair that was standing on end from the energy fairly crackling in the air around him.

He reached the tree he'd sat under the day before and settled down to watch the kids play once again. He silently berated himself for getting so worked up with his uncle. It had been a long time since he'd gotten that angry, and he needed to control himself or he'd have the ministry beating down his door to take his wand.

He was a little confused by the light bulbs shattering in the Dursley kitchen. From what he'd read (or rather, Hermione had read and informed he and Ron) accidental magic like that was supposed to taper off once a child started using a wand regularly, and incidents after the age of 12 or so were rare. Yet, here he was at nearly 16 still making things explode when he got angry. He briefly considered writing to ask someone about it, but quickly tossed that idea aside. He'd always had a bit of a temper, perhaps he just wasn't being careful enough at controlling it. He resolved to be more cautious with his anger in the future.

It was late afternoon before he moved from his spot under the tree, and he was glad that he'd eaten most of his supply stash (stowed in his trunk before returning to Privet Drive) when he'd woken up from his nightmare that morning. Even so, he was definitely getting hungry again, and decided to head home for dinner.

Just when he stood up to leave, he saw the little girl he'd been watching the day before. She was sobbing heavily as she trudged along several yards in front of him, and she was covered in dirt and grime. He watched as she tripped over a rock and fell flat on her face, yet didn't get up. She just curled into a fetal position and cried her heart out.

Harry glanced nervously around. Everyone seemed to have gone home for the day. Where were the girl's parents? She still wasn't moving, and he started to worry. What should he do? He couldn't just leave her there....

Abruptly, he made up his mind and walked cautiously over to her. She didn't seem to notice him, so he tapped her slightly on the shoulder.

She rolled over and looked at him through the most startling blue eyes he'd ever seen, and when she saw him, she shrank back in fright. This caused Harry to sigh inwardly in exasperation. It really was annoying being the neighborhood's troubled child. This girl was only 5 and she'd already been told to stay away from 'that Potter boy.'

Harry took in her appearance quickly. Her face was blotchy and flushed, and her eyes were red from crying. She looked to be sporting numerous scrapes and bruises and her strawberry-blond hair was cached with dried mud. He felt an immediate strong surge of pity for her, she looked like she'd been through the ringer.

"Hey there," he said softly. "What's wrong? Where's your mum?"

He glanced quickly around again. Nope, no one nearby. She was probably lost.

The little girl's trembling had lessened slightly. Harry didn't know it, but when she looked into his sparkling emerald green eyes, she'd felt her fears of him slipping away. No one with eyes that soft and kind could possibly hurt her.

"I dunno," she said tearily. "I can't find her. I'm lost"

Yep. Lost. Now Harry was really worried. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn't very well leave her on her own now, he had to do something. He decided to get as much information that could help him as possible from her. Best to start with her name.

"What's your name?" he asked kindly.

"Emily Stevenson. What's yours?"

Now that surprised him. He hadn't expected her to be so bold all of a sudden. "Harry Potter," he said. "But you can call me Harry, if you like."

She nodded, and Harry took the opportunity to search his mind for the name Stevenson. It sounded familiar....something his aunt had said......Then it clicked. The Stevensons were a relatively new family that had moved in the summer before. They lived a dozen or so blocks away, but Harry couldn't remember in which direction. He remembered his aunt gossiping about them to his uncle and wondering why she was so interested in a family that lived that far away. He had tuned them out at that point, and now he wished he hadn't. He could've found out the street name that this girl's house was on.

He quickly made his mind made up, and looked at the little girl again. "Right then, we need to get you home. Do you know which direction it is to your house?"

She nodded slowly, and pointed straight behind Harry. She didn't look very certain, but it was all he had to go on at that point. More than likely, he'd find her mother out and around looking for her frantically.

He held out his hand to her, and she allowed him to pull her to her feet. "Can you walk?" he asked.

She nodded again. 'She seems to do a lot of that,' Harry thought. He decided to keep his hand in her's, so that he didn't lose her, and together they set off.

Ginny Weasley sat on her bed, staring at the envelope in her hands. She was shaking in both fear and excitement at the prospect of her first ever letter from Harry Potter.

"Get a hold of yourself, Ginny," she said angrily. "It's just Harry!"

'Sure,' said a nasty voice at the back of her mind. 'And your name is Luna Lovegood. You know you love him.'

Ginny sighed sadly. It was true, she did love him. She had gotten over him last year, had moved on, had no more crush on him. But then the unthinkable had happened. As she talked to him, and got to know him as a person, as she watched him struggle under all the horrible things happening to him, yet keep going through it all, she fell deeply, hopelessly, madly in love with him.

That had been a large part of her break-up with Michael actually. True, he'd been a prat about the Quidditch game, but it had really been a relief to break it off, as she just keep picturing herself with Harry instead.

She looked at the envelope in her hands again. Truth be told, it had taken every ounce of her courage to write to Harry. She didn't know where she stood with him - were they friends?

Steeling herself, she slit open the letter, unfolded the parchment within, and started to read. She stared in disbelief when he told her she was no longer a child. Was he beginning to see her as more than Ron's little sister? It was too much to hope for.

She chuckled when he started asking about how she felt about the Chamber. Trust him to deflect her inquiry onto herself and then offer his help and concern. That was so like him - always concerned about everyone but himself. It was one of things she loved most about him.

Of course, his gorgeous green eyes and adorable messy black hair didn't hurt either.

She gazed at his closing words. He wanted to be her friend? Her heart was practically bursting with happiness. He actually wanted to be friends with her. Little Ginny Weasley. True, she actually wanted to be much more than that, but she knew he would never think of her _that _way, so she'd settle for what she could get.

There came a frantic knock at her door, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Ginny!" she heard. "Let me in and give me that letter right now!"

"No," she yelled back angrily. "Go away, Ron! This letter is mine, and Harry says you better leave me alone or else!"

Ron continued to pound angrily on her door, yelling at her to let him in, but she just ignored him, as she loaded a quill with ink and started to write......

Harry was lost, and he knew it.

He'd been wandering around with Emily for quite a few hours now, and the sun had long since gone down. Emily too, had long since tired, and Harry was now carrying her, with her head on his shoulder. She looked to be asleep.

He was really getting worried now. He was tired, and Emily was starting to get pretty heavy.

He was also starting to wonder where his Order guard was. He'd assumed that they'd still be watching him this summer, but if they were there, they'd surely have helped him by now.

He knew he should've taken her down to the police station the moment he'd found her, but it was a very long walk all the way into town where the station was, and he couldn't very well ask his uncle for help after the row they'd had that morning. He really had expected to find her parents or her house fairly quickly.

Up ahead, Harry could see another intersection coming into view. When he saw the street signs, he nearly shouted for joy. He had made it back to Privet Drive. He never thought he'd be happy to see this place.

When he reached the front steps of number 4, a gruff voice stopped him.

"Potter!"

He tensed instinctively, and held Emily close to him protectively. He turned slowly, wishing desperately that he hadn't forgotten his wand in his hurry to get downstairs that morning.

When he saw who was behind him, he relaxed slightly. It was Moody. Then he started to get angry.

"Where have you been?" he hissed. "I could've used the Order's help earlier. I thought you guys'd be watching me!"

Moody looked to be just as angry as Harry. "Where have we been? Where have _you _been? When you left the house this morning, Tonks couldn't follow you. She said she felt like she had been put under a full body bind, and only broke free after you disappeared. We've been searching for you since!"

This gave Harry a pause. His magic hadn't been _that_ strong that morning had it? He remembered not wanting anyone to follow him that morning, but surely that hadn't been enough to stop a full-grown witch, even with his magic at it's height, had it?

He sighed tiredly. "I got lost, that's all."

Moody was looking at Emily with interest. "Who's that you got there, Potter?"

"This is Emily Stevenson. I found her wandering in the park, apparently she's gotten separated from her folks. We tried to find her home, but got lost, and eventually made it back here. I'm going to take her down to the police station in the morning.

"Look, I'm tired, and she's flat exhausted. I'm going to let her have my bed so that she can rest enough to make it to town tomorrow. Can you get Dumbledore down here sometime tomorrow afternoon? I'm going to need to talk to him about what you said about Tonks."

Moody didn't look very happy, but he nodded his consent. "Alright, Potter, just let me get that lock on the door for you." He waved his wand, and the front door unlocked with a soft _click._

Harry nodded his thanks and softly made his way up to his room. Emily was miraculously still asleep, and he set her softly on her feet.

She awoke with a start and stared around fearfully. When she spotted Harry, she immediately relaxed.

"Hey there," said Harry. "This is my house. Tomorrow I'm going to take you to the police so they can find your parents, but for tonight you can have my bed and I'll sleep on the floor."

He looked her up and down appraisingly. She looked pretty dreadful. Coming to a split-second decision, he grabbed a clean, white hand-me-down t-shirt from Dudley and led her into the loo across the hall.

He picked her up and set her on the counter. "C'mon then," he said. "Let's get you cleaned up." And with that, he set to work cleaning and bandaging her cuts and bruises. Once that was done, he tried to brush the mud and knots out of her long blonde hair, with little success. She really needed a bath, but the Dursleys seemed to be asleep, and he didn't want to wake them up with the sound of water running. They'd surely demand he turn the girl out, and he wasn't going to allow that.

When he'd gotten her as presentable as he could, he handed her the oversized shirt. "You can change into this to sleep, that dress is pretty, but it's not good to sleep in now is it?"

Emily just giggled and shook her head.

"I'll just wait outside. When you're done, come on out ok?"

She nodded, causing Harry to break out into an amused grin as he backed out and closed the door to wait.

When she emerged a moment later, it was all Harry could do to keep from laughing out loud. The shirt was far too large for her, and was dragging on the ground slightly. She was clutching her yellow sundress, and handed it to Harry, who promptly tucked it under his arm.

"Come on, then, let's get you tucked in"

As he drifted off to sleep under a blanket on the floor that night, Harry idly wondered why strange things like this always seemed to happen to him.

-------------

reveiw responses.

I'm not going to reply to every single review while I write this, as it takes up valuable time. If you just wrote something like "good story" then I don't really have anything to say except THANK YOU SO MUCH. I greatly appreciate that you like my story.

**etcies: G**lad you picked up on that. How long do you think I should make him take before he figures it out himself?

**mysticruby**: have you ever been to Sink Into Your Eyes? It's a Harry/Ginny ONLY fan fiction archive. part of the HG network

thanks once again. chapter 4 should be up by Sunday afternoon at the latest. If I'm motivated by loads of reviews, I might even finish it by Saturday night...


	4. Hero or Criminal?

AN

Hello again everyone! Here's the promised chapter 4. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks once again to my brother JeremyCamp-Stay, and my only reviewer for chapter 3, mysticruby.

Some reviewers on another site expressed concerns that Harry's actions in chapter 3 could have him facing kidnapping charges. I feel the need to clear up the reasons for Harry doing what he did.

Firstly, when he first saw Emily, he saw a little bit of himself in her, and he just couldn't help wanting to do whatever he had to to help her in any way he could. We've seen in the past that Harry has very strong protective instincts, and a deep need to help people.

Now, what he should have done was taken her straight to the police and let them find her parents, but Harry once again acted instead of doing the logical thing. I believe there are two reasons for this. The first is that Harry has always had a bit of a problem with authority figures. We have Professor Mcgonagall in first year not believing him about the Philosopher's Stone, and then the whole thing with Umbridge and the ministry. The latest problem came when Dumbledore, the one authority figure he trusted, ignored him for a year and then admitted to such a failure as not telling him about the prophecy earlier. The second reason is that Harry, having spent most of his childhood dealing with his problems alone and in silence, is a rather self-reliant person, tending to deal with his problems on his own instead of asking for advice or seeking help. So it's not really surprising that Harry would be reluctant to go to the police.

Understand, I do not defend Harry's actions, I am merely explaining my reasoning. What Harry did in chapter 3 was rash, stupid, and irresponsible. Now on with the story!

* * *

Chapter 4

Criminal or Hero?

_It's dark, cold. Spells of all colors are flying everywhere, like some kind of fancy muggle light show. Sirius and Bellatrix taunting each other. A jet of red light hits Sirius' chest. As if in slow motion, he falls backwards....._

_Then everything goes dark. A strange shift, and a jolt. The Death Chamber again, but it's empty of the battle there previously. The veil flutters in an unseen breeze. A whisper of voices is heard, too low to make any words out._

_The veil shifts slightly, and Sirius walks out. He starts forward. He looks truly awful, far worse than even when he had just escaped from Azkaban. His face is literally as pale as a ghost's, and his eyes are sunken and expressionless, no longer the warm eyes full of mirth and mishief his godson remembered. His body is so skinny that it's possible to see virtually every bone in his body with frightening clarity._

_His gaze sweeps the room, and he spots his godson to one side. He stares at him with sightless eyes, making him cringe in guilt and horror. Sirius opens his mouth and croaks, "Harry..."_

In a small house in Surrey, Harry Potter awoke with a start, and bit his lip to keep himself from crying out.

The dream was starting to get worse. It was just like the dreams of the locked door from the year before - it was getting more complex every time he had it.

There was no doubt about it, Voldemort was messing with his head again. And the worst part was, it was working. Every time he woke up from one of those dreams, the guilt and grief was staggering

Blinking back tears, Harry tried desperately to gather his thoughts and come up with an idea. What could he do? He couldn't go to Dumbledore - he'd just insist on Occlumency lessons immediately, and Harry had no wish to have his head even more opened up to Voldemort. Perhaps he could talk to Remus? He might have some idea of what Harry was going through, and if Harry asked him, he'd probably refrain from telling Dumbledore.

Happy to have at least some sort of plan to get started, Harry glanced at his bed to make sure Emily hadn't been woken up.

Fortunately, she was still asleep. She looked so peaceful and innocent, snuggled under the covers on his bed, letting out a small murmur every now and then. Harry thought she looked rather like a sleeping angel.

He glanced at the clock - just a little after five in the morning. He sighed. Not likely that he'd be able to catch any more sleep, for his head was too full of thoughts. 'It's times like these I wish I had a pensieve,' he thought.

Just then, there came a noise from downstairs, making Harry frown in confusion. It sounded like the front door shutting softly, but the Dursleys never went out this early.....

In an instant, he was on his feet and pulling his wand from the drawer in his desk. If there were Death Eaters in the house, he did not intend to go down without a fight, especially with Emily there. He had to protect her.

As his anxiety and adrenaline spiked, he could feel his magic start to flow through him. This confused him greatly, as his magic usually only got like this when he was extraordinarily angry. He didn't have time to dwell on it though as he heard a creak on the stairs.

He crept quietly over to the door and started to ease it open, wishing desperately that his door didn't squeak, as it was sure to wake Emily.

To his surprise, the door opened with absolute silence, as if someone had put silencing charms on the hinges.

He peaked his head cautiously around the door frame and nearly fell over in shock. There on the stairway was the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, obviously trying to tip-toe so as not to wake anyone. It might have actually been comical had the situation not been so serious.

Harry stepped out on the landing and leveled his wand at the man. "Stop right there," he growled.

Dumbledore stopped in surprise, and then chuckled quietly, his eyes twinkling merrily. "It's me Harry, ask me any question if you have any doubts."

Well he certainly had the Dumbledore eye twinkle and chuckle down, if he was an imposter. Harry racked his brains for a question that only the headmaster could answer. Then it hit him, and he almost laughed out loud at the very thought.

"When we were in front of the Mirror of Erised, what did you tell me you wanted more than anything else?"

Dumbledore, did laugh out loud, though quietly. "I told you I saw myself holding a pair of woolen socks," he replied.

Harry lowered his wand in relief. "What are you doing here at this hour, professor?" he asked.

Dumbledore looked suddenly grave. "I must speak with you about this little girl, Harry."

Harry was apprehensive. Why did he need to come this early to do that? Still, he might as well find out what the professor wanted to tell him. "Very well, she's sleeping, so let's go into the kitchen to talk."

When they were both seated at the table, Harry started anxiously, "What about her professor?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Harry, you do realize what you have done could be construed as kidnapping don't you?"

Harry's mouth dropped and he stared at the Headmaster in amazement and not a little fear. He had not thought of that at all. His protective instincts had kicked in, and he'd thought of nothing but how he could help her. The thought that he could be considered a kidnapper had never even crossed his mind in the slightest.

"No professor," he finally said. "I did not realize that. I guess I forgot to think before acting again."

The Headmaster sighed sadly. "I thought as much. Do you think you can explain to me what happened yesterday, and why you brought her here instead of phoning the muggle police?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably and drew a deep breath. He might as well tell the Headmaster everything. Maybe he'd be able to help out. "Well," he said. "I guess it started about an hour before sunset, when I saw her walking through the park. She looked like she'd been through it. And then she tripped and didn't get up. She just sat there - crying, and I felt so sorry for her.

"Actually," Harry paused a moment to think. "I guess she reminded me a lot of myself as at that age. I always seemed to be feeling lost, alone, and afraid, and that's probably why I was so drawn to her yesterday.

"Anyway, I didn't think her parents would be far off, so I asked her which direction her house was, and we started walking. I fully expected to find a bunch of concerned neighbors or the girl's parents out frantically searching for her, but apparently not. By the time I realized that I should've given her over to the police, it was dark, and I was lost.

"We wandered around for several hours without ever finding a pay phone...." he paused. "You know, it's rather ironic that you can never find one of those when you really need one.

"Well we eventually got back here, but by that time she was asleep on my shoulder and I was so tired I could barely walk, so I just decided to figure things out in the morning. Now that it's over, I can think of a million things I could've done that would've been better, but it's too late now."

Dumbledore was not surprised by Harry's story in the slightest. The boy had an incredible need to protect and help everyone, and after his problems with those in authority in the past, it was not surprising that he was reluctant to go to the police right away.

He absently pulled off his half-moon spectacles and cleaned them with a handkerchief. "So what are you going to do now?" he asked.

Harry shrugged. "Turn myself in, I suppose. I was stupid, and I made several big mistakes. I let my 'saving people thing' get in the way of better judgement, so I'll have to face the consequences of my actions and hope for the best."

The Headmaster smiled happily, for that was exactly what he had wanted to hear from the boy. Most magical children would be begging him to use magic to get them out of whatever predicament they were in, but not Harry.

"I'm afraid that's not possible, my boy. While ordinarily I would agree with you, there are greater things at stake. You will of course recall our conversation near the end of term."

Harry looked slightly embarassed. "About that, professor...."

Dumbledore interrupted him before he could get started. "Think nothing of it. I imagine I would have done the same were I in your position. At the moment, we have more pressing issues. I am afraid I can't allow you to go to a muggle jail, as it would expose you far too much to Lord Voldemort. He still wishes very much to kill you, as you may well imagine, and we cannot adequately protect you while you are in the custody of the muggle authorities."

Harry's anger flared at this, and his eyes glowed slightly once more. "I won't have any special treatment, professor!"

The aging headmaster shook his head. "You fail to understand, Harry. It is not only for your good, but for the guards and others where ever you would be held. Voldemort would not hesitate to kill them all to get you."

This caused Harry to deflate. "I don't want anyone else to be killed because of me," he whispered.

All the twinkle went out of Dumbledore's eyes at that statement, and he gazed sadly at the young boy in front of him. No one should have had to go through what Harry had while so young, or ever for that matter. He should be worried about girls and homework, not dark lords and murders.

"Harry, look at me," he said softly. Harry did, and the headmaster could see the pain in those twin pools of liquid emerald. "Whatever you might think, it was not your fault. Yes, going to the Department of Mysteries was wrong, but what matters most is that your heart was in the right place. You would have given your life to save Sirius, it is not your fault that he was willing to do the same for you. Do not be so arrogant as to believe only you have the right to sacrifice yourself for another."

Harry didn't look convinced. "But what about Cedric? If I had just taken the cup, he would never have died."

Dumbledore's gaze never wavered, and he replied immediately, "Harry, think about what you are saying! You would rather be selfish than unselfish? You know very well that if you knew the cup was a portkey, you would've jumped to take it to protect Cedric, or virtually anyone else (even if you didn't know them I might add) from the fate waiting in that graveyard. Is that really such a bad thing?"

"And what about my parents?" Harry demanded angrily. "They died simply because I was born."

"Would you rather that you had died and they had lived?"

A single tear tracked it's way down Harry's cheek. "Yes."

"Harry, they loved you more than life itself, and they were willing to give everything so that you could live, even their own lives. Would you not do the same if you had a child?"

Harry's thoughts turned to Emily and the innocent, angelic expression on her face as she slept. He thought of what he'd do if he had a daughter like that and anything threatened her. In an instant he knew. He'd do anything to protect her, even if it meant dying himself.

He looked again at Dumbledore. He could see a measure of truth in what the headmaster was saying, but he still couldn't get past the thought that it was his fault. He decided to dwell on that later. There was still Emily to take care of at the moment.

"What are we going to do about Emily, professor?"

Dumbledore knew he was avoiding the issue, but as there really were some more pressing concerns to clear up, he didn't comment.

"The Order will take her home when she wakes...."

"NO!" Harry burst out angrily. "You may not allow me to turn myself in, but she is still my responsibility. I was the one stupid enough to get into this whole mess, and I'm going to be the one to make sure she gets home alright. Besides, she knows me a little, but she doesn't know any of you."

Dumbledore frowned slightly and opened his mouth, but Harry cut him off before he could speak.

"I mean it, professor, I'm not going to budge on this. Just give me a portkey or something so I can get out of there quickly once she's home. I've got a plan, I just need to look up their address in the phone book....."

Ten minutes later, Professor Dumbledore had reluctantly agreed to Harry's plan, and approved the short note the boy had written for it. "Best be getting upstairs, my boy," he said. "You'll want to get out of here before your relatives awaken."

Harry glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly 6 AM, his aunt would be up in another hour. He immediately sprinted up the stairs as quietly as possible and crept over to his bed. Emily was still there sleeping peacefully.

He grinned down at her. She looked so sweet like that. 'We don't have time for this,' he reminded himself sternly. He reached down and shook the little girl softly, causing her to stir and blink owlishly at him.

"Hey sleepyhead," he chuckled. "Sorry for waking you, but it's time to take you home now."

She was fully awake in an instant, practically bouncing up and down in excitement, and drawing another chuckle from Harry in the process. "C'mon then, we'll leave in just a few minutes, first you need some breakfast."

It took a little over an hour to make it to Emily's house, as he couldn't take her by any magical travel, and he didn't have a car.

When they were several houses away, Harry stopped and looked around for a moment. This neighborhood was considerably more pleasant than Privet Drive, that much was certain. The houses were more spaced out, and everyone had larger yards. Each house was different from the last as well, instead of being one of a set of identical boxes.

He squatted down to Emily's level and looked her in the eye.

"You know which house is yours right?" Unsurprisingly, she nodded. "Okay, I want you to give this to your parents alright?" He handed her a folded over piece of paper.

She took the paper without question, though she looked confused. "Emily I want you to promise me something," he said seriously. "I want you to make sure you never talk to a stranger the way you did to me. This time it worked out alright, but next time it might not. If you're ever lost again, you head straight for a policeman. Will you promise me that?"

To his surprise, she did not nod this time, but actually replied. "I promise," she said quietly.

Harry grinned, satisfied. "Okay then, you better get home. I'll be right across the street until your parents open the door, alright?"

Emily looked confused. "Aren't you coming with me?" she wanted to know.

Harry shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, I can't. It's time for me to leave. You'll be alright once you're home."

Emily looked immensely sad, and she gave Harry a small hug. "Won't I ever see you again?" she asked.

Harry was incredibly surprised by both the hug and the question. "You never know, I may turn up when you least expect it. Good-bye now, your parents are most likely very worried."

He stood up and crossed the street to watch as Emily scurried up to the front door of her house and stood on tip-toes to reach the doorbell. When the woman who was obviously Mrs. Stevenson answered it a moment later, she screeched in surprise and swept the little girl up into her arms.

"My baby," cried Mrs. Stevenson, as her husband came running up behind her to join the family hug. "Where have you been?"

Emily just looked up at her happily. "I was with Harry mummy."

Mr. Stevenson started in surprise. "Harry? Harry who?" he asked.

His daughter screwed up her face in thought. "I can't remember his second name, daddy." She pointed across the street to where a teenage boy was standing. "He's right over there."

Mr. Stevenson squinted across at the boy on the other side of the street. It was too far to make out any features, but it looked like whoever it was was grinning madly.

Emily wasn't finished though. Before her father could say anything further, she handed him the note Harry had given her. "He said to give you this, daddy."

Both parents looked at the note curiously. It appeared to be written on some sort of old fashioned, yellowing parchment, and was addressed to both of them in emerald green ink. Mr. Stevenson opened it carefully, and they read it together.

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson,_

_I found this little one wandering in the park all alone. I believe she's yours?_

_Other than a few scrapes and bruises, she seems to be just fine, but she could use a bath and some rest._

_Please be more careful with her in the future. A child is the most precious thing in the world, and Emily is no exception._

_Best Wishes,_

_Harry_

In unison, they looked back up towards the teenager across the street, but he had vanished while they were reading.

Harry reappeared in his room at number 4 with a small _pop_. As he sat heavily on his unmade bed, he reflected on what he had just seen.

Mrs. Stevenson looked truly awful. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying, and there were dark circles under them. It looked like she hadn't slept all night, and her blonde hair was all unkempt from lack of care.

Thinking back to how Emily had looked when he found her, Harry saw some definite similarities between mother and daughter.

Harry couldn't imagine how awful it must've been for Emily's parents when she had disappeared. Sitting at home all night, not knowing where your daughter was, sounded like a living nightmare. No parent should have to go through that, nor should any child have to be separated from their parents like Emily had.

'And yet,' thought Harry. 'That's exactly what's going to happen if Voldemort is not stopped. Hundreds, thousands, perhaps millions will die, and there will be many who will lose loved ones. Many will lose children or become orphans.

'And it's all up to me to stop it.' Harry had never felt so lost as he did at that moment. How was he supposed to defeat the greatest Dark Lord of the age? He was just a kid, not even that great at school. If someone like Albus Dumbledore couldn't do it, then what chance had he?

A sudden resolve came over him. He may not have much of a chance against Voldemort, but he had to at least try. For Emily, he had to try. Voldemort may kill him, but he planned to give him one hell of a fight before he died.

* * *

AN 

There it is! If I get lots of reviews, I'll get chapter 5 up by Monday afternoon. If I don't, I'll have it done and up by Tuesday evening at the latest.

May the Flame of the Phoenix guide you

-HaP


	5. Padfoot and Inferno

AN: Here's chapter 5! My outline required that this chapter be a little shorter than the last couple, but don't worry, I'm sure the next one will be longer.

Special thanks to JeremyCamp-Stay (my brother) for his continued support, and to mysticruby for reviewing every chapter since I first posted! Also thanks to K,W,G,T,B; Sarcastic-Whiskers; VFPC; and amalia1313 for their reviews. Review responses at the bottom

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one that I write of in this story. It all belongs to the wonderful, brilliant J.K. Rowling.

* * *

Chapter 5

Padfoot and Inferno

All was silent within the confines of the Dursley's. Harry lay on his bed lazily, trying desperately to cool off in the oppressive heat of the day.

It was the evening of Thursday, June 17th. He had taken Emily home that very morning, and was waiting for a visit from Dumbledore.

Fortunately, his relatives had gone out for dinner. Unfortunately, that also meant they turned the air conditioning off, as they didn't feel Harry needed that sort of luxury all to himself. It was a couple of hours until sunset, so the sun was still beating down mercilessly on the unfortunate inhabitants of Privet Drive.

Harry rubbed his stomach happily, feeling quite full. Even though he was sweating heavily, he was quite thankful that the Dursleys had gone out for dinner, as it gave him a chance to actually eat for a change.

He glanced at the clock on his nightstand. The headmaster was due any minute. He'd left Harry that morning as the boy was getting read to leave for the Stevenson's, saying he needed to attend to a few urgent matters and would return later that evening to talk some more.

There was a soft _pop_, and Albus Dumbledore appeared in Harry's bedroom. Harry noted with interest that Dumbledore's apparating _pop_ was much quieter than anyone else's he'd heard previously. He supposed this had to do with the fact that the aging professor had been doing it far longer than anyone else Harry knew.

Harry didn't raise his wand at the man this time, for Dumbledore had told him that morning that the wards would not let anyone but himself and Harry apparate or disapparate inside the house.

"Welcome back, professor," he said politely. "I'm glad you could make it."

Dumbledore simply nodded and conjured a chintz chair to seat himself in. He gazed at Harry a moment, and noted the thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He waved his wand and the room instantly became pleasantly cool.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks professor. It was getting downright uncomfortable in here."

"You're quite welcome, Harry," Dumbledore replied. "Now, let's get down to business, shall we? Miss Tonks told me her story of what happened yesterday morning, but I'd like to hear your point of view."

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'm not really sure what happened actually. I had a rather nasty row with my uncle and stormed out. I just remember that I wanted to be alone. Surely that can't have been enough to cause what happened with Tonks can it? I know my magic gets away from me sometimes, but I don't think it's strong enough to cause that."

"On the contrary, my boy, it is entirely possible that your magic caused the strange inability to move that Miss Tonks felt," Dumbledore replied. "You are a powerful wizard, Harry, but your magic is still uncontrolled. If you very strongly wanted to be alone when your magic was at it's height, it may have taken over to make sure you got what you wanted."

"But professor," Harry protested. "Shouldn't I have stopped having Accidental Magic 'incidents' after I started going to Hogwarts?"

"Ordinarily yes, but you are more powerful than most Hogwarts students, Harry. It will take you longer than most to gain enough control to keep this sort of thing from happening."

Harry stared at him incredulously. "But I'm not that powerful! My marks aren't even that great..."

"Harry," Dumbledore interrupted him. "Being powerful and being a brilliant student like Miss Granger are two different things. I meant only that you have more raw magical power than most wizards your age, that doesn't automatically make you smarter. I wouldn't downplay your marks though, as what you lack in theory you make up for in practical application."

Harry blushed. "Are you sure that's all it is professor? My magic seems to be getting more out of control instead of less."

"Yes, Harry," said Dumbledore. "I am quite sure. I wouldn't worry about it. Just attempt to keep your emotions more under control, and the problem should eventually right itself as you practice your magic more."

Harry noticed that the professor didn't quite meet his eyes as he said this, and he inwardly seethed. He obviously was keeping something from him, even after everything that had happened the year before when he kept things from him.

Outwardly, he kept his demeanor calm, and just nodded pensively.

"Harry, is there anything you'd like to tell me?" asked Dumbledore.

Harry's mind immediately went to the dreams he'd been getting from Voldemort, but he dismissed the idea of telling Dumbledore without even considering it. If Dumbledore wasn't going to tell him anything, then he wasn't going to tell the headmaster anything either. He wasn't going to make the same mistake he did last year and keep it to himself (he'd tell Remus), but he certainly wasn't going to trust someone who didn't trust him.

"No, professor, there's nothing."

Dumbledore didn't look convinced, but there wasn't really anything he could do about it if Harry wasn't willing to talk. "Very well then," he said. "I must be going now, you'll tell me if anything happens, won't you?"

Harry nodded, and Dumbledore disappeared with another soft _pop_, still looking unconvinced.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, and laid back down on his bed tiredly. Lying to the headmaster was a very exhausting experience. He reached over and grabbed the letter he'd received from Ginny earlier that day, and read it again. She apparently had decided not to mention the Chamber or Sirius any more, and just told him a few things about her summer. Ron was still being a prat, though his reaction to what Harry had written about Dean was immensely funny, by her account.

By the time he finished reading, Harry's heart was bubbling with happiness, just as it had after he finished reading it the first time. She forgave him for not noticing her, and she wanted to be his friend. Harry paused. Why was he so happy about this? Sure, it was a good thing, but that didn't explain why he was so extraordinarily happy about it. He decided that he was just very glad to have a friend to talk to that wasn't trying to get him to talk about Sirius like Ron and Hermione were.

That made him look at the other two letters he'd received that day. One from each of his best friends. Ron's had mostly demanded to know why Harry had said nothing to him but what Ginny had asked him to say about Dean. Hermione, on the other hand, had started spouting about some psychology book she'd read that said 'discussing the victim's mental trauma can sometimes help to alleviate the emotional pain' or some such equally ridiculous nonsense.

Harry scowled as he thought about the two of them. What did they know anyway? They'd never caused the death of everyone they considered a parental figure. Even Ginny hadn't done that, but she did know at least some of what he was feeling. She was the only one who understood, and at least she just treated him normal, unlike everyone else.

Deciding to write Ginny back even though Hedwig was out, Harry leapt out of bed and strode quickly to his desk. He chewed on his quill thoughtfully. What should he say? Should he tell her about what happened with Emily? He eventually decided he could trust her with the information and wrote the story down for her.

When he finished, he pushed the letter to the side and decided to get started on his homework. After all, he was going to have to face Voldemort some day. He might as well learn as much as he could so as to have as much of an advantage as possible.

_It's dark, cold. Spells of all colors are flying everywhere, like some kind of fancy muggle light show. Sirius and Bellatrix taunting each other. A jet of red light hits Sirius' chest. As if in slow motion, he falls backwards....._

_Then everything goes dark. A strange shift, and a jolt. The Death Chamber again, but it's empty of the battle there previously. The veil flutters in an unseen breeze. A whisper of voices is heard, too low to make any words out._

_The veil shifts slightly, and Sirius walks out. He starts forward. He looks truly awful, far worse than even when he had just escaped from Azkaban. His face is literally as pale as a ghost's, and his eyes are sunken and expressionless, no longer the warm eyes full of mirth and mishief his godson remembered. His body is so skinny that it's possible to see virtually every bone in his body with frightening clarity._

_His gaze sweeps the room, and he spots his godson to one side. He stares at him with sightless eyes, making him cringe in guilt and horror. Sirius opens his mouth and croaks, "Harry, how could you?"_

_Everything went dark once again. Another strange shift and a jolt. Harry looked around in confusion. What was going on now? He was in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, and he was pretty sure he was still dreaming, but everything looked so real, even more so than the visions from Voldemort._

_The doors of the Hall swung open, and in strode...Sirius? He looked far better than he had the last time Harry had seen him in real life (and understandably a thousand times better than the vision he'd been having). He looked fit, and happy. Bursting with youth and vitality, rather like the pictures Harry had of him before Azkaban._

_He spotted Harry and grinned bigger than his godson had ever seen him grin before. "Harry!" he cried and ran forward to engulf the young man in a gigantic hug._

_Harry didn't hug him back, and when he pulled away, he stared at him warily. "What's going on?" he asked._

_Sirius' smile never faltered. "I've come to visit you, kid."_

_Harry was still wary, and stared at him suscpiciously. "How is that possible? You're dead."_

_"Ah, that I am. But when someone goes through that veil, they have a much stronger connection to the world, as opposed to those who die any other way. Since I also have a strong connection to you because I died saving you, I was able to combine the two enough to come pay you a visit in your dreams."_

_Harry was unconvinced. He wanted it to be true so badly it hurt, but he just couldn't believe something good like that could happen to him. So little good had happened to him in his life, why would he get a break now?_

_"How do I know this isn't some trick of Voldemort's?" he asked._

_Sirius looked immensely pleased for some reason. "Constant Vigilance, eh? Glad to see you're being cautious. But anyway, do you think Voldemort would know this?"_

_He reached out and touched his finger to Harry's temple, and Harry felt a stream of memories flow into his conciousness. Images of all the brief moments he and Sirius had had together, images of times when his father and godfather had gone off to pull pranks on their own, images of summers spent at Harry's grandparents house, when Sirius had run away from his own home at Grimmauld Place._

_Tears streamed down the young man's face as he looked at his godfather. "I'm so sorry Sirius. It's all my fault. All my fault."_

_Sirius smacked him upside the head lightly and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Don't ever talk like that. You risked your life to save me. Nothing could make me happier than to know you love me enough to do that."_

_"But I got you killed! If I had just remembered the mirror, or listened to Hermione, or thought of Snape..."_

_"Harry!" Sirius interrupted sharply. "It's over, it's in the past, and I'm proud of what you did, even if it wasn't the smartest thing. You did what you thought was right, no one can ask more of you, besides, I'm here now aren't I?"_

_"Sirius, I..."_

_"Don't. I don't ever want to hear another word about it."_

_Harry nodded, and for the first time since he'd lost his godfather, a real smile lit up his face. "How long can you stay for?" he asked._

_Sirius just grinned. "Forever, kiddo. I'll be here every night, and we can talk." He took his arms from around Harry and stepped back again before continuing, "During the day I'll be like a voice in your head, though you'll be able to block me out when you want. I'm sure that will come in handy when you're having a heavy snog session with your girlfriend."_

_Harry blushed several amazing shades of red and stammered, "I don't have a girlfriend, Sirius. You know that!"_

_Sirius grinned even wider. "Yes, I know that quite well. We can't allow that to continue though can we? You're getting lessons in women every night here with me. Now, is there anyone you're interested in?"_

_Harry opened his mouth to object, but Sirius cut him off before he could say anything. "No, wait, don't tell me. James told me about the Potter men's tendency for redheads, I'll bet you fancy........Ginny Weasley!"_

_Harry once again opened his mouth to object, but closed it after a moment of not saying anything. Now that he thought about it, the idea wasn't that objectionable. The only reason he hadn't ever thought of it before was because to him, she was always 'Ron's little sister.' Now that he had pushed aside that thought, what was stopping him? She was a wonderful person, with a cheerful, friendly disposition, and a fiery temper when angered._

_She wasn't that bad looking either, with her long, flaming red tresses, and warm, soft, chocolate-brown eyes....._

_'Whoa!' Harry thought. 'Where the heck did that come from? Since when did I start thinking of Ginny that way?'_

_'Since you saw her as a peron instead of another Weasley,' said a voice at the back of Harry's mind. 'Or have you forgotten how happy you were she wanted to be your friend?'_

_He thought back to the last few months, and realized he had been thinking of her an awful lot. Especially in the last couple of weeks, when they had exchanged letters. Was it really that much of a stretch to think he could fancy her? She was, after all, a close friend, very pretty, and he enjoyed being around her._

_Sirius watched the innner struggle of the young man before him in bemusement. It was obvious he was quite taken with Ginny, yet he was unable to admit it to himself. Harry seemed to come to come to some sort of decision and looked at his godfather once again. "She got over me a long time ago, Siri," he said sadly._

_Sirius blinked in surprise. "So? She had feelings for you once, didn't she? You may have to win her over, but you can't just give up without a fight! Where's the Marauder in you?"_

_Harry seemed to brighten slightly. "You think it's possible she could like me again?" he asked hopefully._

_"What's not to like? We'll just have to work on her eh? But enough about that, we have other things to discuss. Because of this link we have, I can pass on not only memories, as you've seen, but also knowledge. So you'll have the equivalent of a Hogwarts education from when I was your age. It takes a lot out of me (and you) though, so for tonight I'm just going to give you the animagus transformation info. With all that you'll get from me, you'll probably be able to transform fully when you wake up."_

_Harry was flabbergasted by this piece of news. He'd be an animagus in one day? How could that be possible? Before he had time to recover and ask the thousand and one questions on his mind, Sirius stepped forward once again and pressed a long finger to his temple._

_Harry felt a rush of information flood his brain and staggered slightly under the onslaught. When it passed and he straightened again, he searched his mind for the knowledge. It was amazing. It was like he'd spent hours upon hours of studying the subject, yet he knew for a fact he hadn't._

_He looked up to find Sirius grinning at him in amusement. "So are you going to find out what your form is or not? We can't induct you into the Marauders and give you a name until we find out what your animal form is you know!" said his godfather._

_Harry just sat on the floor and concentrated on going into the animagus revealer trance. It was far easier for him than a normal person, since he had the knowledge of one who'd already done it instilled in his brain. Within two minutes, he was in the trance._

_When he emerged moments later, he looked at Sirius in confusion. "Sirius," he said. "I thought it was impossible to have more than one form?"_

_Sirius frowned. "It is. Or it's supposed to be anyway, why?"_

_Harry looked troubled. "First I saw a Phoenix, then I saw a Rattlesnake, finally I saw a Hungarian Horntail Dragon. What does that mean?" he asked._

_Sirius was stunned into silence. Harry had three forms? And two of them were magical? How the hell was that possible? He closed his mouth when he realized he was gaping, and took a moment to recover himself before he answered his godson._

_"Well you're an extremely powerful wizard, Harry, I expect that others have had more than one form in the past, they just kept it secret. In any case, we have give you your Marauder name now."_

_He looked at the ground for a moment, frowning in thought. Then he straightened up with a bright smile on his face. "Since your first form is a Phoenix, I hereby dub thee...........Mr. Inferno! To be inducted into the Marauders, you must simply repeat the following oath after me:_

_"I solemnly swear to uphold the legacy of the Marauderst, to never rat on a fellow prankster, to never consort with any teacher, to prank always to the best of my ability, and above all, to give the Slytherins hell."_

_Harry repeated the vow, and they shook hands solemnly, before bursting out into hysterical laughter._

_When they had recovered, Sirius embraced his godson once again. "Well, Harry," he said. "It's time for you to wake up now. Remember to do your animagus transformation today. It doesn't require a wand, so no troubles there. You'll have to wait to do the dragon one until you're somewhere more hidden. I'll see you tomorrow."_

_And with that, both he and the Great Hall slowly faded away, and Harry was left alone in the dark to wake up._

* * *

AN: Like it? Hate it? Review!

Review Responses:

**K,W,G,T,B**: Good question! The title's meaning will become clear the last day of summer.

**amalia1313**: This is an important part of the story, so I'm going to try not to tell you too much. I'll say only this: the triowill be friends once more before thefic ends, but he will never trust Dumbledore the same way he did again. He won't hate him, but he'll never think of him as an infallable superhuman above reproach (ok, that's extreme, but you get the idea) again.

The next chapter may be a bit small, as I'm going to write a small one-shot in honor of Christmas first. Don't worry though, next chapter up Thursday or Friday at the latest!


	6. Inheritance and Missing Family

AN

Well here it is, I'm sorry for the delay. For some reason this chapter refused to be written, and I had to completely rethink my plan for it at one point.

When Sirius speaks in Harry's mind, it will look like this insert Sirius's words here when Harry mind speaks, it will look like this -insert Harry's words here-

I would like to thank all my reviewers and my brother JeremyCamp-Stay (hereafter known as JC-S) and no, he's not Jeremy Camp, that's just the screen name he chose for himself when I acknowledge him, contrary to a review (or more than one?) I've gotten...lol.

* * *

Chapter 6

Inheritance and Missing Family

Harry awoke slowly to sunlight streaming in through his open window. He tried to sit up, but immediately laid back down and groaned.

A small chuckle was heard in the back of his mind. _**A little sore?**_ Sirius asked.

"Shut up, Padfoot," Harry growled irritably. "If you weren't such a brutal instructor I wouldn't be injured to the point of not being able to move."

Another chuckle. _**Those Martial Arts are rough, aren't they?**_

_You think?_ Harry thought sarcastically.

_**Yes, quite often, actually.**_

_Shut up._

**_No._**

Giving up on arguing with his irritating godfather, Harry gingerly worked his way out of bed and got dressed. Sirius had been giving him Martial Arts lessons every night for the past week, and Harry was practicing during the day. Unfortunately, physical exercise in the "Marauder Realm," as Sirius had dubbed it, did not actually improve one's body (though it was good for perfecting moves without ever having to break a sweat or tire), so Harry had to work out every day for a good portion of the day.

Sirius had also been slowly transferring his knowledge to Harry. They were about two thirds through what Sirius knew, because it really was extremely exhausting for both of them every time they did it. While Sirius was not a genius, he had been one of the top students of his year in Hogwarts, and when they were done, he assured Harry he'd be the equivalent of a Hogwarts graduate and a little more.

That, of course, was not enough to defeat Voldemort. Harry would have to continue to learn everything he could in order to defeat the Dark Lord. He'd asked Sirius whether he should return to Hogwarts, but Sirius would only say he had plans that he would reveal soon. It had initially angered Harry that Sirius was keeping something from him, until his godfather had assured him that he was still going over his plans before showing them to him, and was not keeping secrets.

Having Sirius in his head was . . . interesting to say the least. It was very annoying at some times, for instance Sirius tended to make rather suggestive comments whenever Harry passed a pretty girl his age, while out jogging. Yet it could also be quite humorous at other times, such as when Sirius told Harry stories of the Marauder's Hogwarts days.

As he put on his trainers, Harry glanced at the clock. It was just after six in the morning - plenty of time to get a quick breakfast before the Dursleys woke up.

Ever since his outburst over a week before, Harry had avoided any contact with the Dursleys, instead staying out all day, eating both breakfast and dinner when they were asleep, and having lunch each day in a small muggle diner in town.

When Harry was in his Phoenix form, he was able to disappear from wherever he was in a burst of flames, and then reappear anywhere else in the world he wished. As yet, he had gone only to Diagon Alley (cloaked and hooded to avoid recognition, of course) to get some money changed over to muggle funds for his lunches. He could apparate instead, of course (Sirius had made sure that was one of the first things he learned through their link) but that required a wand, and so would be detected by the Ministry.

After a speedy breakfast, Harry set out for a half hour jog around the neighborhood, before heading to the park for another grueling Martial Arts workout. As usual, Sirius had him start with an extensive stretching routine, and then push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and any other exhausting exercise his mentor took a fancy to making him do. Then, they would finally get down to the real work. Harry was made to go through various forms and drills designed to familiarize his body with all the strikes, blocks, and stances until he could perform them without even thinking about it. Sparring proved to be a bit of a problem, as he could only spar with Sirius at night, and that was only good for showing him things, it didn't actually familiarize his body with the techniques. Still, they had no other option, so they did what they could.

When Harry had asked where Sirius had learned as much as he did, Sirius only told him that he'd find out when he told him the plans he was working on.

_When are you going to tell me what you have in mind, Siri?_ Harry asked.

_**Tonight in the Marauder Realm, now quit stalling and get back to work.

* * *

**_

Several hours later, Harry's training session was cut short by Sirius' voice in his mind

_**I think we'll stop here for today.**_

This statement took Harry completely by surprise, which wasn't good, since he was in the middle of kicking when it happened. He stopped short, or tried to. What actually happened was he both kicked and didn't kick, causing him to overbalance and fall flat on his face.

Roaring laughter was heard in the back of his head as he groaned and rolled over onto his back. _**That'll teach you to lose your concentration like that.**_

_It wouldn't have happened if there was no such thing as you being merciful and ending a session early._ Harry retorted.

Sirius gave a hurt sounding sniff. _**I'm not that bad.**_

Harry snorted in disbelief, but made no further argument. _So why are we stopping so early?_ he asked.

_**We have to visit your family's vault at Gringott's to get something.**_

_But we were just there the other day! Why couldn't we have done it then?_ a confused Harry asked.

**_Not your school fund! I mean your family vault, the one with your main fortune and family heirlooms in it._**

_What! I thought the vault I was using now was my family vault._

Sirius gave a very angry sounding growl. _**You mean he didn't tell you?**_

Harry was really confused now. _Who? Tell me what? What's going on?_

_**Dumbledore, that's who. I knew he hadn't told you much, but this...Damn him, now I'll have to tell you myself. To put it bluntly, Harry, you are a very rich wizard. The Potter line is one of the oldest and wealthiest in the wizarding world. The account you are currently using was just a small sum, by comparison, set apart for your school years. Your real vault is many, many times larger and contains not only money but quite a few ancient artifacts and heirlooms that have been in your family for generations. That's where we need to go.**_

Harry just lay on the ground in shocked silence. He was sure he must look very strange, laying in the middle of a muggle park with various emotions flitting across his face and his head tilted as though listening to something.

_**Harry?**_

_What else has he been keeping from me?_ Harry's voice was not loud. Instead it was deathly quiet, and icy cold.

Sirius audibly gulped. _**A lot. I'm going to tell you everything tonight, but for right now we have to get a few things done, so let's get to Gringotts, OK?**_

Harry sighed. _Alright, let's go then.

* * *

_

Using Phoenix travel was an interesting experience. Harry had to find an empty alley to transform and travel, and he had to make sure he ended up in an empty side street in Diagon Alley to arrive and revert to human form.

It was definitely his favorite mode of magical travel though. He had problems with staying on his feet using both floo powder and portkeys, and from the memories of apparating Sirius had given him, that _particular _mode of transportation felt uncomfortably like hurling oneself off of an invisible precipice. Phoenix travel (or Flame Travel as Harry had decided to call it) was far better. There actually wasn't much sensation at all, other than the feeling of a warm breeze flowing across one's face. There wasn't much to see, either, except for flames that didn't actually burn anything. Still, it was Harry's favorite because it was the only magical mode of travel that wasn't uncomfortable.

When he reached the wizarding bank, he slipped quietly up to a free goblin teller and asked quietly to be shown to the Potter family vault. The goblin raised his eyebrows, but summoned another goblin standing nearby and told him to take Harry down to the vault. Before he left, Harry passed several Galleons to the teller. "I'd appreciate it if Professor Dumbledore was not informed of my visit to my family's vault," he said.

The teller simply gave him a mirthless grin and nodded evilly.

**_The greatest thing about goblins,_** Sirius said. _**Is that they don't see anything of wizarding affairs that doesn't pertain directly to them as their business. So they will gladly keep anything you ask them to quiet, no matter who you are. Dead useful when you're a wanted criminal like I was.**_

Harry chuckled his agreement, causing the goblin leading him to one of the carts to give him an odd look.

It didn't take long to reach the Potter vault. When he sensed Harry's interest in this, Sirius quickly explained, The old family vaults were among the first to be built centuries ago, so they're the highest in the tunnels - just far enough down to make the journey confusing.

As they slowed to a stop in front of vault 15, Harry looked at the gigantic doors in awe. The Potter family crest, consisting of a griffin clutching a flaming sword in it's talons, was painted on the front in bright red, gold, and red-orange.

Below the crest was the Potter family motto: _Licentia quod Veneratio supremus totus._

**_James told me about that_**, Sirius muttered. _**It means 'Freedom and Honor above all.'**_

Harry just clambered out of the cart and stood staring in awe at the doors before him. This was part of his family's legacy. Countless generations of Potters had stood right there, where he was standing, and looked at those doors, just as he was doing. It was overwhelming and exciting at the same time.

He looked over at the goblin who was standing next to him and blinked. He looked familiar. "Griphook?" he asked tentatively.

If it was possible for a goblin to look surprised, this one would have. "Why yes, Mr. Potter. I'm surprised you recognized me."

Harry didn't know what to reply to this, so he settled for nodding politely and asking, "So how do I get in?"

Griphook just pointed to a small hand-shaped imprint at the place where the two doors touched, about shoulder height. It was small enough and blended in with the door so perfectly that it would go unnoticed unless one was standing practically with your nose pressed right against it. If Griphook hadn't pointed it out, Harry would never have seen it.

Assuming that this had something to do with testing his blood connection to the Potter line, Harry placed his right hand into the imprint and waited. Almost immediately, he felt the magic start to flow into his fingers as the door verified his identity.

After fully five minutes of tingling sensations in his whole hand, the doors gave a loud _clang _and swung slowly, silently open.

When Harry saw what was inside, he nearly fell over in shock. Most of the vault was filled with mountains and mountains of gold. More than he could possibly spend in his entire lifetime, no matter how hard he tried.

Harry had not been aware that this much gold even existed in the world, let alone that there was this much belonging to _him._

_This is_ mine

_**Sirius chuckled. Actually, a good portion of it was mine. I left it all to you in my will. As the Blacks and the Potters are two of the oldest and wealthiest families in the wizarding world, the combination of both fortunes is quite something. In fact, I believe it makes you the 7th richest wizard in the world, far wealthier than anyone else in England, including the Malfoys.**_

Harry was floored. He was wealthier than Malfoy? Then he got a maniacal gleam in his eyes. This year at Hogwarts was going to be _very _interesting.

_Right. So what are we here for?_

_**Look off to the right, there should be a section with lots of old weapons, armor, furniture, jewelry, books, and other things like that. What you're looking for is a sort of amulet on a gold chain. It should have a crimson stone with the Potter crest carved onto the surface in gold.**_

Harry glanced to his right. Sure enough, there was a large area separated from the rest of the vault with all sorts of strange and interesting items scattered about. Some of the things had to be several centuries old at least, if not older than that. There was a whole armory of ancient weapons and armor. Enough books to fill the Hogwarts library were stacked onto rows of huge shelves that took up fully half the space for the non-monetary items.

Then there were the heirlooms. Quite a few antique pieces of furniture were scattered about, and there were several large trunks filled with jewelry of all types and descriptions. Harry initially started looking for the amulet in one of these trunks, when Sirius told him that it wasn't jewelry and would be in it's own case somewhere else.

It took a good half-hour amongst all the boxes of odds and ends that had collected in the vault, but he eventually found it stuck under a pile of ancient tapestries. It was just a small, nondescript wooden box, but Sirius assured him that it was indeed exactly what they were looking for. Harry opened the box to make sure, and gasped at the sensation the strange object gave him. It simply radiated power, like some sort of small sun that poured out magical energy instead of light and heat. He quickly closed the box again.

He turned to leave, but Sirius stopped him. _**Wait, Harry, that's not all.**_

Harry froze in midstep. _What else?_ he asked.

_**There should be a trunk around here that your parents left for you. In the event of their death, you were supposed to receive it the summer before your first year at Hogwarts. As I was the only one to know this, and I was in Azkaban...**_

_And Dumbledore's made sure I didn't know about this vault, so that means I didn't get a chance to find out._ Harry finished grimly. Then a thought occured to him. _Why didn't you take me here after you came back? The goblins wouldn't have mentioned it to anyone._

_**Honestly? I just assumed that Dumbledore would've taken you in here. It never occured to me that he would hide your own vault's existance from you.**_

Harry just shook his head in anger. Dumbledore apparently hadn't managed to learn from his mistake with the prophecy. He should've had Harry taken here before he went to Hogwarts his first year, or at the very least, after he'd returned to the Dursleys a week and a half earlier.

Harry located the trunk fairly quickly, as it had obviously just been tossed in quickly, instead of being stacked in neatly. That was Prongs, I'm sure chortled Sirius.

Harry ran his hand softly over the lid of the trunk. I was made of what appeared to be oak, and stained very dark. In gold lettering on the top were the initials HJP - a custom-made trunk by the looks of it.

He blinked back tears. This was the only gift he could remember coming directly from his parents instead of just being something they'd left with friends. Sirius, sensing that this was an emotional moment for Harry, remained silent.

After a few long moments, Harry opened the trunk slowly, and his eyes widened in shock. Inside was a large room, rather like the seventh compartment on Mad-Eye Moody's trunk. It wasn't as large, but it had enough room to store several hundred books, which were stacked onto shelves all around the walls of the room. There was also a couch, table, and lamp on a large rug in the middle of the room, and a writing desk off to one side occupying the one piece of empty wall space.

_Did you know about this?_ Harry asked.

Sirius sounded just as surprised as Harry felt. _**No! I had no idea. I thought they just put a letter and some knick-knacks into a trunk for you. I had no idea they set you up your own library. There should be a letter for you in there somewhere though, so I suggest you get inside and find it.**_

Harry slid down the ladder that extended from the rim of the trunk into the room below, and gazed around for another minute in awe. It was quite a gift, that was for sure. He shook himself as he realized he needed to find that letter from his parents. He headed for the writing desk and saw not one, but two letters resting on the surface of it.

Grabbing the top one almost urgently, Harry could feel his hands shaking slightly in anticipation and nervousness. Right here was a direct link to his parents. Not a story told by someone who knew them, or assurances that they would be proud of him, but a letter from them to him.

He took a moment to calm himself and then tore the envelope open eagerly and began to read. It was written in a neat, precise scrawl that Harry guessed to be his mother's writing.

_My Darling Little Boy,_

_If you're reading this, then I'm sad to say we have both been killed before you made it to Hogwarts, and you have had to live with your positively insane Uncle Sirius. _(Sirius snorted indignantly in Harry's head)_ I hope that you can forgive us for not being there for you, and I hope also that if we are indeed dead, we died saving you from that monster known as Lord Voldemort._

_I'm sure that Professor Dumbledore has told you of the prophecy, as it is something you need very much to know as you start your magical education. If he hasn't, then pester him until he does. Do not let him hide the full contents from you, as he has hidden them from us. Doubtless, Sirius has already told you what little we did know, and you'll want to find out exactly why that horrid man is after you._

_This trunk, along with it's contents, is our gift to you. Make good use of it in the years ahead, as you prepare for your fight against the Dark Lord. Do not worry too much about the future. We're certain that you'll beat the old snake, and then you'll be free to live, marry, have kids, and someday tell your grandchildren stories of how you beat the stuffing out of old lizard-face (as your father so eloquently puts it). Live life to it's fullest, my son, and never let anything get you down._

_You are a powerful wizard, Harry, and someday, I doubt not you shall bring peace to our world. Never doubt that, and most of all never doubt that we love you with all our hearts._

_With all our love,_

_Your mother (and father)_

Harry felt the stinging in his eyes and tried desperately to keep from crying, but he finally couldn't hold it in any longer. He sank slowly to his knees and bawled his eyes out. He cried for every time he'd been lonely as a child. He cried for every time he'd wished desperately that he had someone who loved him to hold him close. He cried for every time he'd seen his aunt and uncle lavish affection on their son, while never giving more than a contemptuous glare. And finally he cried for the life he could've had if only his parents had lived.

It was fully a quarter-hour before Harry, still sniffling, managed to grab the second letter and slit it open. This one appeared to be written in a messy scrawl - obviously his father. It was dated just a few days before his parents had been killed.

_Dear Son,_

_As I write this, your mother is resting in our room. Today, October 26th, 1981, is perhaps one of the happiest, yet saddest days of my life._

_Today, my daughter, your sister, Katherine Elizabeth Potter, was born. Yet tomorrow she will be leaving, and I do not know when, if ever, I shall see her again. We have decided that the only safe course of action for her is to send her with a muggle friend of mine to America._

_As it is, we are living in hiding with you, and we never know when we may be found and killed. For her own safety, we must send her away. Your mother has not stopped crying since we came to this decision, and I feel I am not far off myself._

_I am writing this letter to let you know of our reasons for doing what we are doing, in case we never get the chance to tell you ourselves. I hope only that both you and Katherine can forgive us for this. Believe me, it's the hardest decision that we have ever had to make._

_We're meeting Professor Dumbledore in a week, and we'll let him know then. I'm sure he'll be surprised, since your sister was impatient to join the world, and came fully three weeks early. I had to go out and get a muggle woman (a former nurse) to help us with the delivery!_

_I'll tell you a little about the man that is going to take care of your little sister, Harry. His name is Frank Peterson, and he is one of the few people in the world to whom I would trust my life, and that of my family. He is a muggle, but he knows all about our world, in fact his wife and infant son were killed by Death Eaters several years ago. I've known him since I was a small boy, and we played together frequently at his parent's house._

_Frank's given us an address to contact him in America. You'll find it enclosed in this letter. If he didn't hear from us within one year of leaving, he planned to vanish completely, and reintegrate himself somewhere else in muggle society, though I think he was going to send your sister to a magic school if she got a letter._

_I'm sure you feel that all of this, our family being split up, the three of us living in hiding, is all your fault. Please don't ever think that, Harry. Your mother and I love the both of you very much, and all of this is to ensure both of your safety._

_I hope that you never read this letter, and I burn it someday as the four of us laugh about it in front of the fire._

_Remember that we love you both,_

_Your father (and mother)_

That was it. After all the bombshells that had been dropped on him that day. All the surprises, all the emotional moments, Harry simply couldn't take it any more. He fainted, dead away.

* * *

AN 

I know that the idea of him having a sister has been used before, but I planned this part of the book out long before I read any stories with that theme in them, and I refuse to change my plans just because it's become a bit cliche


	7. Uncontrolled Emotions

AN

Well, I'm fairly certain that this is my worst bit of writing thus far, but I just couldn't get this chapter to work for some reason. It's long though, so hopefully that will make up for how much it lacks in actual worth.

Special thanks to JC-S, and especially to all my returning reviewers who have been sticking with me

You know, you guys should all thank my brother too, since I get the chapters out faster because he's always bugging me to get writing.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 7

Uncontrolled Emotions

Harry awoke sometime later, feeling numb mentally and emotionally, but with a pounding head from where he'd hit the hard stone floor. Sirius tried to talk to him, but he just threw up his mental blocks to keep his godfather out. Without speaking, he tossed a few bags of Galleons into his new trunk and carried it out onto the small platform outside the massive vault doors.

Griphook was waiting in the cart, and soon they were on their way back to the surface. Before going outside the bank, Harry put his hood back up, and walked slowly to the little side street he'd arrived at. He walked as if in a trance, and later remembered little of his short trip to get back to the park in Little Whinging.

As he sat back against his favorite tree, the reality of it all seemed to hit him with brutal force.

He had a sister.

He'd had a sister for most of his life.

And he hadn't even known it.

It was almost too much to bear. After all the emotional events of that day, this was really it. He'd reached the end of the emotional roller coaster, and he felt sick. His thoughts wandered to the sister he'd never met.

What did she look like? Where had she been? What did she like to do? He had missed almost 15 years of her life. He had never been able to tickle her mercilessly, or chase her out of his room, or have a blazing sibling row with her, or give her boyfriends grief. They hadn't been able to play games as children, and she'd never come running in to sleep next to him after a terrible nightmare.

A week before, Harry would've been berating himself for being the cause of the whole thing, but not anymore. Long lectures from Sirius had finally broken through to him. He knew now that he could only control what he could control, and he shouldn't blame himself for everything. The only thing he could do was the best he possibly could, and hope for everything to turn out alright.

Harry knew who's fault it really was. First, Voldemort nearly 15 years before, when she was born, and now, Dumbledore. An angry sounding growl came from the back of his throat, and he got to his feet and clenched his fists.

He was angry.

Really angry.

Unrestrained fury was pounding through his body, making his magic spike powerfully. The trees all around him seemed to sway in an unseen breeze, and the air crackled with invisible energy. If anyone had looked into his eyes, they would have seen, quite literally, twin pillars of fire blazing there.

The small, still-rational part of his brain told him that he was going to let out some serious energy soon, and he'd better get somewhere out of the way to do it. For once, he listened.

Using Flame Travel, he managed to make it to an out of the way cabin near a lake in Alaska, he stood in front of the lake and let the power and anger flow through him like he was some sort of human conductor for them.

Never before in his life had he been this angry, not even when Bellatrix killed Sirius. He felt as though his body was heating up like a furnace. When his rage reached it's peak, a shock wave blasted outward from his body, and every rock, tree, and piece of debris within a 100-yard radius was torn from the ground into the air around him.

They whipped around him in a gigantic whirlwind of wood, stone, and dust, while he stood in the center, letting the magic flow through him and into the massive tornado he'd created.

When his anger was spent, the shattered debris fell abruptly from the sky, littering all the ground but where he stood.

Then the world around him went black, and he knew no more.

Harry opened his eyes slowly. He was staring straight up at a bright blue sky with a few small wisps of clouds drifting lazily along. He tried to sit up, and immediately lay himself back down with a groan. He felt totally exhausted, and his entire body was horribly sore. The fact that he'd hit his head for the second time that day did _not _help, either.

A low chuckle was heard inside his head. You know, you really should learn to control your emotions more. That's the second time today you've managed to pass out.

-Shut up, Siri. It's not my fault Dumbledore is the biggest imbecile in the world.- He paused for a moment. -Did you know about Katherine?-

I was afraid you'd ask that. I knew Lily was pregnant, I didn't know Katherine was actually born before they died. I take it you didn't know?

-Does it sound like I did?-

No, I guess not. Sirius let out a disgusted snort. The idiocy of that old fool apparently knows no bounds. I thought you just never wanted to talk about it, or I would have brought it up. I never thought no one had told you. Come to think of it though, the pregnancy wasn't well known. I think only Dumbledore and I knew.

Harry let out an angry growl, but Sirius stopped him from having another outburst. Easy there, Harry. I have a plan to take care of his treating you like a little child, but you have to learn to control yourself. You levitated everything for a good hundred meters around you into the air for fully five minutes, and it used up a good bit of your magic. Your body had to partially shut down to regenerate, which is why you passed out again.

Harry finally seemed to find the strength to ease himself gingerly into a sitting position, and looked around in amazement. He was in a fairly rocky area, with a few trees nearby, but everything in a huge circle around him looked like it had been hit by a tornado, a hurricane, and a muggle bomb all at once. There were deep gouges in the ground and bits of rocks and trees lay everywhere in strange positions.

-I did that?-

A dry chuckle Yep.

-And I passed out because I used too much magic?-

Yep.

-How long was I out?-

Two or three hours I think. You better get back to Privet Drive soon though, or the Order will notice you're gone.

-Do I have enough magic left to make it?-

You should, or you wouldn't be awake yet. That was the longest you've gone using Flame Travel isn't it?

-Yeah, but it's not like it matters anyway. I could Travel to the moon and it wouldn't be any more strenuous then Travelling across a room.-

Ah yes. Well if you're finished demolishing the area around my Safe House, we should go.

-Er...yeah. Sorry about that by the way.-

By the time Harry managed to sneak back into his room at number 4, it was past dinner. For the Dursleys anyway. He knew he couldn't get any dinner until the rest of the house's occupants were asleep.

Having a marauder in his head had definite advantages, Harry reflected as he settled into his desk chair to do some homework. He'd had to utilize all of Sirius' stealth and lock-picking skills to get in and out of the house and past his Order guard unseen each day.

Sirius of course claimed that Padfoot was the sneakiest Marauder, something Harry pretended to doubt, much to Sirius' annoyance. In all actuallity, Harry thought Sirius was being modest just saying he was the sneakiest Marauder. After all, his skills had gotten Harry past _Moody _just two days earlier!

Then again, Sirius had managed to pull off dozens of pranks at Hogwarts, sneak out with a werewolf once a month as a teenager, _and_ evade the entire Ministry of Magic for three years as an adult. It really wasn't that surprising that he was so good at avoiding being found or detected.

Privately, Harry thought Sirius had had more than just Marauder training to give him the skills he had, but Sirius dodged the question every time Harry brought it up, so there was little he could do about it.

He glanced down at the desk in front of him, and spotted the latest letter from Ginny. They'd been writing fairly consistantly during the last week, and Harry felt as though he was really getting to know her for the first time.

Ginny had a rather complex personality once you managed to open her up just a little. She was quick-witted and funny, with a rather nasty temper if you upset her. She loved her family dearly, but was nearly always at odds with her mother and brothers over something.

Her mother, because Ginny was something a free spirit, it seemed. She wanted to do things her own way, and her mother was always trying to have her do things the way _she _thought was best for her only daughter.

And her brothers, because they still thought she was a 7-year-old little girl, instead of a nearly 15-year-old teen, who was rapidly becoming a young woman. What none of her family realized was that Ginny had been forced to grow up very fast, because of the horrors her past contained.

There was an underlying sadness in her letters that Harry had begun to see as they continued to write each other. It was there in the way she mentioned her school friend's carefree natures. It was there in the way she mentioned her brothers treating her like a little girl.

It was as though she wanted desperately to be a little girl once again, but knew it would never be. Reading between the lines, Harry could see that she was feeling as if she was all alone in the world, as if nobody understood her, as if nobody knew how hard it was to feel years older than your physical age, and nobody ever would. But Harry did know - all too well in fact.

He felt as if he'd found someone who could truly relate to him in Ginny, and he wanted desperately to be able to talk to her in person, to tell her everything. Sirius was a great mentor, but Harry just didn't feel comfortable with telling him all his fears and worries.

He knew that Ginny would understand, and he hoped that if he told her what was troubling him, she'd tell him what was troubling her. He wanted to make her feel better, and he knew that was the only way he could.

Making sure to shut out his connection to Sirius first, Harry unfolded the letter from Ginny and began to read it again.

_Dear Harry,_

_I'm sure Hermione will be overjoyed to learn that you are doing your homework so early this year. She's already getting on my case about the O.W.L.s! Every letter from her is a three-page lecture on how Ron is a prat and I should study more._

_Needless to say, I don't really read her letters any more. I've decided I'm not going to take from her what you guys did last year. She needs to learn that while school is important, it should not rule over every aspect of a person's existance. I've decided to completely ignore the fact that she is speaking if she says anything about it at all this year. You guys should've done that last year, but you're just too afraid of her. HA!_

Harry groaned aloud. It was true. Hermione had been insufferable last year, but they'd been too scared of her amazing knowledge of hexes to stand up to her.

_Ron's still being a prat because you're writing to me but not to him. He refuses to listen when I tell him that you don't want to talk. I think that he's just doing it because Hermione told him that you need to talk. She's obviously the brains behind this whole thing, because Ron's too thick to try and come up with something like this on his own._

Harry shook his head. It hurt, but he wasn't going to talk to the two of them until they figured out that making demands of him was not going to work. He would talk to the two of them when he was ready and not before.

_Mum's trying to teach me cooking, but I'm afraid I'm not very good at it. Not that I care, of course. Knowing how to cook is not high on my list of priorities, however much my mother insists I have to be a good little housewife someday._

Harry snorted in amusement. The idea of Ginny being an obedient little housewife was absolutely absurd. He knew she really didn't have any specific ambitions as yet she had told him, but she certainly wasn't one to sit around at home and knit sweaters like her mother.

_I really wish you were here, Harry. I miss you terribly, and I have no one to talk to here. I know things must be awful there with the muggles, but we're working on Dumbledore right now._

_Ginny_

Harry stared at the line for a moment. He certainly missed her too. He wanted very badly to talk to her in person. Sirius had been adamant that Harry show his powers to as few people as possible, but Harry decided right then and there that he was going to see Ginny right away.

Quickly opening his link to his godfather, Harry inwardly called out, -Sirius?-

Ah, done reading your little love note I see. What is it?

Harry decided to ignore the obvious attempt to get a rise out of him and get right to the point. -I'm going to see Ginny.-

WHAT! Sirius 'thought' as loud as he could.

Harry winced and rubbed his temples gingerly. -I said, I'm going to see Ginny. And don't think so loud by the way, you give me enough of a headache as it is.-

Harry was quite certain that his godfather would be giving him a dirty look right then, but fortunately, he couldn't see it.

You most certainly are not. We have to keep your power a secret remember?

-I don't care. No offense to you, but you're the only person I can talk to. I need someone else I trust that understands. Someone who's not basically my parental figure.-

Sirius gave a long-suffering sigh. Alright, go have your little romantic rendezvous with your girlfriend. Just don't get too 'distracted' to keep me out of your mind. I might see something you don't want me to see.

Harry had to try _very_ hard not to blush. He could just _hear_ the smirk in that statement, and he longed to punch his godfather's lights out.

-Shut up you dirty old man.-

Before Sirius could reply, Harry had shut him out of his mind.

Still muttering about annoying convicted criminals, Harry transformed into his Phoenix form and started to concentrate on where he was going. It was going to be a tricky bit of Travelling, as he'd only seen the inside of Ginny's room once, and then only a brief glimpse.

Just as he was going to give it a shot, Harry stopped himself. Here he was rushing off without even thinking again. He couldn't just appear in her room! It was late, what if she was changing or....

If Phoenixes could blush, that one would have. Harry immediately shook those thoughts out of his head and tried to think. There was nothing for it, he'd just have to appear outside her room and peek in the window - briefly of course - to make sure that he could go in.

With a burst of flames, Harry was outside Ginny's bedroom window at the Burrow, flapping his wings powerfully to stay in place. He took a quick glance inside and sighed in relief - Ginny was laying on her bed reading, and she appeared to still be wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from the day.

With another burst of flames, he was hovering right over her bed.

Ginny, for her part, only managed to keep from screaming in fright because she was too shocked to utter a single sound.

When Harry flew over to the bedpost near her feet, she finally seemed to gain enough motor control to cautiously approach him. Phoenixes were typically known as pure Light creatures, so she knew she wasn't in any danger. Still, having a solid gold phoenix suddenly appear in her bedroom wasn't exactly something that happened every day.

She slowly reached up her hand and stroked the feathers on his head.

Harry leaned into her hand and closed his eyes. It felt really good to have her touch him like that.

"You're beautiful," she whispered softly. Harry suddenly hopped down to the ground and transformed back to his natural form.

"Why thank you," he said mischievously.

This time, Ginny did shriek in fright.

Footsteps were heard pounding on the stairs, and a loud, frantic knock came at Ginny's door. "Ginny! Are you alright?" It was Mrs. Weasley.

Harry gave Ginny a pleading look. "No one's supposed to know about this, please don't."

Ginny's initial thought was that this could be some sort of Death Eater trick. Yet when she looked into Harry's bright emerald eyes, she couldn't help but feel that everything was alright; that she was safe.

"Yes, mum, I'm fine, just stubbed my toe is all."

"Alright dear," Mrs. Weasley called. "Do you need anything?"

"No thanks mum."

"Well," Mrs. Weasley didn't sound too sure. "Alright then. You'll call me if anything is wrong right?"

Ginny glanced at Harry and rolled her eyes. "Yes mum."

Footsteps were heard once again, this time receding down the stairs.

Without warning, Ginny flung herself into Harry's arms, seemingly trying to squeeze the life out of him. Harry stiffened at first, then slowly relaxed and hugged her back softly.

Ginny seemed to realize what she was doing, and jumped back, blushing profusely. Harry smirked inwardly. It seemed she still did that around him now and then.

He waited patiently for her inevitable thousand and one questions, and was not disappointed. After she managed to fight down her blush, she started firing them off one after another. "Harry! What are you doing here? How'd you get here? Did you turn into a Phoenix? Does that mean you're an animagus? How..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Harry cried. "Easy Ginny, one at a time. Yes, I'm an animagus, and I did turn into a Phoenix. I got here using what I call 'Flame Travel', which is something phoenixes do. Kind of like apparition, but a lot better. As for why I'm here, I wanted to see you."

Harry doubted that he could have said anything that would have made her blush more than that, and he was very probably right.

Ginny apparently was very good at fighting blushes though, because she recovered in only seconds and started trying to ask more questions. Harry held up his hands to stop her.

"I'll tell you everything in a minute, I promise, but first you have to make me a promise." She nodded, albeit a little impatiently, and he continued, "Nobody knows about any of this - not even the Order. You have to promise that what I tell you remains between us."

Ginny nodded again, apprehensively this time. She was pleased that he would entrust this sort of thing only to her, but she was also a bit scared that Harry felt he had to keep things from the Order.

So Harry told her everything, he told her about Sirius visiting in his dreams, and his trip to the vault. About finding out how much Dumbledore had kept from him, and the fact that he had a sister he hadn't even known about. He let her read the letter from his dad about Katherine, and she was crying silently by the end. He'd had to endure so much, why did these sort of things always seem to happen to him?

Then he told her about what else Dumbledore had kept from him last year, about the prophecy, and why he'd avoided him the whole year. When he related the full prophecy to her, she jumped from the bed and started doing a happy dance around the room.

Harry just stared at her in shock. "What are you doing?" he asked incredulously.

"I'm doing a victory dance," she cried happily. Seeing the look he was giving her, she said exasperatedly, "Harry, I've always known it would come down to the two of you, all this prophecy means is that you _can _beat him."

Harry's incredulous look turned to one of thoughtfulness. "You know, I never thought of it that way. I mean, it was only a matter of time until he killed me anyway wasn't it? This way, at least I have shot at actually beating him."

Ginny just nodded and started dancing around once again. Harry leaned back and watched her for a moment. He took the opportunity to really study her for the first time. She was a small girl, only maybe 5' 3" at most, yet not tiny either. Her hair was no longer the tomatoe red of her younger years, but had darkened instead into a beautiful, deep, dark red that seemed to be a blend of a myriad of different shades of red instead of one solid color.

Her chocolate brown eyes seemed to glow when she was happy, and her smile was the most beautiful he had ever seen. It seemed to light up her whole face, and indeed, the entire room as well.

Ginny finally slowed her joyous prancing and turned to find Harry staring at her intently. She quickly checked herself over. Finding nothing out of place, she asked nervously, "What? have I got some dirt on my nose or something?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Then why were you staring at me?"

Harry just gave her a mysterious smile. "No reason."

Ginny wasn't convinced, but decided to let it go. "So," she started. "Sirius is in your head huh?"

"Yep."

"So can he hear what we're saying right now?"

Harry shook his head. "No, thank Merlin, he can't. I can block him out. I always do when I read your letters and stuff because he's a nosy old fart."

Ginny giggled, then turned serious. "Are you sure it's really him and not some trick of.....V-Voldemort's?"

Harry raised his eyebrows at the use of the Dark Lord's name, but said nothing about it. "Yes, I'm sure."

Seeing her skeptical look, he held up his finger for silence and closed his eyes. A moment later, he opened them and asked, "Do you remember when you and he had that long conversation before I came to Grimmauld Place last year?"

Ginny paled. "He didn't tell you about that did he?"

Harry just shook his head. "Nothing about it other than you two talked." She sighed inwardly in relief. They had talked about Harry that day.

Harry suddenly blushed and muttered, "Shut up you...." he then proceeded to utter a short string of expletives about Sirius that would make Ron proud and Hermione indignant.

Ginny looked at him in surprise. "Wow, I didn't know you had it in you, Harry."

Harry shrugged. "That tends to happen when you have a dirty, vulgar old man in your head all the time." He shut his eyes for a moment and then opened them in relief. "There, he's gone."

He looked around her room with interest. "You know," he said. "I've never been in here before."

Ginny looked glanced around and groaned inwardly. She wished she had cleaned up earlier that day, as it was a little messy. Not real bad, but still, when the man you love comes to visit, you'd rather like it to be tidy.

"Sorry about the mess," she said hastily.

"I like the mess," he said. "I like your room, it seems like...you." It was true. The room was painted a light blue color, and it had just a few pieces of simple furniture.

Her eyes flashed. "Are you saying I'm a messy person?"

Harry looked embarassed. "No, sorry, I didn't mean that. I mean it just doesn't look ultra-organized like Hermione's would, or full of pink and ruffles and magazines like Parvati or Lavender's. It just looks.....simple. Straightforward. And lived in, you know? It seems to fit you somehow. Does that make sense?"

She was slightly mollified, but still looked at him a bit suspiciously, as if she was trying to discern an insult somewhere in his description of the room. No one had ever complimented it before, only criticized it. Her mother thought it was too messy for a girl's room, and her brothers all thought there was some way it could be improved (Ron thought it should be orange and the twins thought it should be booby-trapped for intruders).

"So what's your room look like?" she asked.

Harry flushed. "Um, well..."

They talked well into the night, until Ginny started yawning more and more often, and Harry told her he had to go home and get some dinner, since the Dursleys would be asleep by that time. He then surprised her by pulling her into a tight hug, which she returned, flushing with pleasure. Harry pulled back and gave her a roguish wink, before disappearing in another burst of flames.

She collapsed backwards onto the bed and sighed happily. She loved the way it felt when Harry put his strong arms around her. He made her feel safe, warm, and happy when he did that, and she wished desperately that he could ever see her in that way. That he would hold her close and kiss her lips and whisper how much he loved her.

She shook herself angrily. 'Stop thinking about that! He won't think of you that way, and that's all there is to it. You've finally got him as a friend, and that'll just have to do.'

* * *

AN

If you're not in the following review responses, it's because I have nothing specific to address concerning your review. Instead I express only my deepest gratitude for your review and the interest you've shown in reading more of my story. If I didn't have to write more story, I'd thank you individually!

**john: **why do you feel I went too far? I only gave him the knowledge of a Hogwarts graduate (excepting the animagus transformation of course). And like I said, I thought of the sister thing a long time ago (it was the inspiration for this fic) and I refuse to change just because it's become silly in other fics. Thanks for your review, I appreciate your constructive criticism

**athenakitty: **Whoa! loads of questions! Just like Ginny in the chapter I'm posting right now. Since he has the official "ladies man" of the Marauders in his head, I think Harry will definitely be different. He'll be more bold and confident, but not overly so. He'll have more spells, but not too many, and not very many uncommon ones (he still has to study some obscure books to get that)

He is very mad at Dumbledore, and he will meet his sister. He will speak to Frank at least once in the story. I doubt he'll ever really like flooing, but he may come to appreciate apparating. Thanks for your review!

That's all for now, please review so I'm motivated to write faster!


	8. Plans for the Future

AN

I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. I was sick for a while (still am actually) and this was a bit complicated to write. I'm putting a lot of info into this chapter, soI wanted to get it just right.

Many thanks to all the encouraging and/or helpful reviewers from the last chapter. I hope you enjoy this Christmas present from me.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

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Chapter 8

Plans for the Future

_It's dark, cold. Spells of all colors are flying everywhere, like some kind of fancy muggle light show. Sirius and Bellatrix taunting each other. A jet of red light hits Sirius' chest. As if in slow motion, he falls backwards....._

_Then everything goes dark. A strange shift, and a jolt. The Death Chamber again, but it's empty of the battle there previously. The veil flutters in an unseen breeze. A whisper of voices is heard, too low to make any words out._

_The veil shifts slightly, and Sirius walks out. He starts forward. He looks truly awful, far worse than even when he had just escaped from Azkaban. His face is literally as pale as a ghost's, and his eyes are sunken and expressionless, no longer the warm eyes full of mirth and mishief his godson remembered. His body is so skinny that it's possible to see virtually every bone in his body with frightening clarity._

_His gaze sweeps the room, and he spots his godson to one side. He stares at him with sightless eyes, making him cringe in guilt and horror. Sirius opens his mouth and croaks, "Harry, how could you? You killed me. It's all your fault"_

_Everything went dark once again. Another stange shift and a jolt, and Harry found himself once again in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Sirius was there already waiting for him, sitting at the Gryffindor table. Harry could feel the tears streaming down his cheeks, and the weight of guilt and sorrow still seemed to be resting heavily on him._

_As soon as Sirius saw him, he leapt up and pulled him into a tight hug. "Bad one tonight huh?"_

_Harry nodded onto his shoulder. "It's so hard, Siri. It seems so real, and you always tell me it's my fault. And I always believe it."_

_Sirius just held him for a moment and let him cry it out. "We have to do something about this soon. It gets worse every night."_

_Harry pulled back. "It's getting worse during the day too. Ever since he possessed me, I have this almost constant sense of him. It's not always foremost in my thoughts, but it's always somewhere, like a thought hovering in the back of my mind. I think my connection to him is growing stronger, and I think he's the one strengthening it."_

_Sirius looked worried. "Why haven't you mentioned it before?"_

_"I wasn't sure it was really him," Harry said sheepishly. "I wanted to be sure before I brought it up."_

_"Harry," Sirius gave him a look that was both stern and exasperated. "You don't have to worry about being embarassed around me. If something comes up, no matter how small, I need to know about it. We can't take chances kiddo."_

_Harry just nodded contritely and changed the subject. "So what was it we needed to talk about tonight? You've been going on about all your plans for days."_

_Sirius gave him a long, searching look and motioned for him to sit down at the table. When they were seated, he turned to face his godson with an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face._

_"I am going to tell you everything that Dumbledore has kept from you." Harry opened his mouth, but Sirius held up his hand for silence. "Please. Just, let me say all that I need to say. You can ask questions of me later._

_"I want you to understand, that Dumbledore is still a good man. Whatever else, he is still a good man beneath it all. The problem is that he has seen so many years of death, and pain, and destruction that he has forgotten. Forgotten what it is like to be the soldier fighting for someone you've never met. Forgotten what it is like to be the man sent to his death and never told why. Forgotten perhaps even what it is we are all fighting for._

_"For you see, he has been seeing things in terms of facts and figures, death tallies and survivor numbers for so long, he's become indifferent to the individual. He seems to see everything through a 'fewer losses' glass. What he has forgotten is that he is throwing men's lives away for what he deems 'the greater good'._

_"Dumbledore has not seen you as a man, with feelings, dreams, and hopes of your own for some time now. To him, all you are is a statistic. Another soldier who will sacrifice his own life to end the reign of the Dark Lord. While it is a noble thing to die for a thousand unnamed faces, one cannot expect the soldier to just throw his life away without a second thought. A man needs to have a reason. He needs to have something worth fighting for, something worth dying for. He needs to know why he is being sent to his death, and be presented with the choice. The choice of giving his life for others. And if he chooses death, he needs to know that he will not have died in vain, that those that follow will live, and more importantly, be free because of him. He needs to know that he will have died with honor, and his friends, his family, those he holds most dear, will be free to live their lives without fear because he did so._

_"Sometimes, there are things more important than just living, Harry. Dumbledore doesn't seem to remember that. He's proven it time and again in the way the foremost thought in his mind seems to be to make sure as many people as possible live, even at the cost of the lives of others. Even the enemy he lets live. But he doesn't see. He doesn't see that we are losing this war, just as we were losing the last one before you defeated the Dark Lord as a baby. Voldemort grows more powerful every day, and his reign this time will be greater and more terrible than ever before. Yet, Dumbledore continues to stun, not kill. Continues to bind, not cut. Time and again the enemy's fighters are captured, and time and again they escape, or are broken free. And each time they do, the Dark Lord's recruiters gain a few converts, who see no consequences for their actions if they join Voldemort._

_"It's time you took the fight to the enemy, Harry. I have a plan - one that I've been working on ever since your fourth year, when Dumbledore told me about your meeting with Voldemort in your first year. It became clear to me then that Voldemort would return, probably soon, and that something had to be done. It also became clear to me that Dumbledore wasn't going to be the right man to lead the fight._

_"After he told me about your first year, I started visiting a few old friends around the world. One of the most important of which was in America. In America, unlike here in England, there isn't a seperate government for the magical world. Instead, they just have a Department of Magical Affairs, with a Secretary of Magic - this is all kept secret from the muggles of course._

_"For this reason, the American government and our own Ministry of Magic have always been somewhat at odds with each other. They see clearly what wizards and witches in England, who've had hundreds of years of prejudice to blind them, do not. They see that you cannot just allow the magical world to take care of itself, separated from everything else. It causes major problems. Just look at me! I was sent to prison for life without any kind of trial, and I was innocent! So, the American President decided that I could not be considered a criminal, and they didn't hand me over to our Ministry when I turned up with a proposal over there. This had to be done secretly, of course, or they'd be openly showing a refusal to cooperate with our Ministry, and that causes a lot of political problems._

_"Anyway, I knew Dumbledore wouldn't give you the training you really needed to develope your powers and stay alive in the fight. Inevitably he'd have someone like Snape teach you and you'd learn very little. I also knew that he'd continue to hide things from you, and he would continue to use the 'catch and detain method' against the Death Eaters (thus brainwashing you into doing the same). So I asked that you be allowed to be trained there as soon as I felt it was time. Even all the way over there your adventures have been rumoured of, and they agreed to train you with one of their special magical/muggle military units._

_"Unfortunately, Dumbledore must've suspected something, since he kept me locked up in that damn house for a whole blasted year." A look of surprise came over Harry's face, causing Sirius to ask incredulously, "You didn't honestly think that he kept me there for the reasons he said did you? I could easily have gone out in disguise or under an invisibility cloak like everybody else."_

_He paused to let his godson take in all the information he'd been given. Harry just sat there with a pensive look on his face, trying to let it all sink in. Finally, he managed to ask, "So when do I start all this, and do I have to go over to America to do it?"_

_Sirius gave him a proud look. Harry had managed to cut right to the heart of the matter and ask the right questions immediately. "You'll start as soon as the summer's over, and yes, you'll have to go to America. We'll have to do this in secret of course, or Voldemort will know all about it (and we don't want Dumbledore to know either for that matter). Once you're back inside the castle, the headmaster will think you're safe and not worry about making sure you don't wander by keeping all his little guards all over the place. Then we'll be able to use your wonderful new 'ability' to get to America every day."_

_He gazed long and hard at his godson before he spoke again. "You do realize that your schedule will be filled to the bursting point with all this don't you? You might even have to give up quidditch. It's fortunate you already know the curriculum for the final two years of schooling, or your homework would be near impossible."_

_Harry just nodded and a terrifyingly determined look came over his face for a moment. "I'll do whatever it takes Sirius. I need to kill him, as soon as possible, if the wizarding world is to have any chance at all."_

_Several emotions battled for dominance in Sirius' mind. There was pride, as he saw how willing Harry was to do whatever was necessary for the people he loved to live in a safe world. There was sadness, as he thought of how his godson was having to shoulder this burden so young. And there was fear, knowing that Harry could easily be killed before this was all over._

_Outwardly, he just nodded and once again started to speak, "There's a lot I need to tell you that Dumbledore hasn't, Harry." He ignored the darkening look that passed over his godson's features as he continued, "You know how you've been having all these 'Accidental Magic' episodes?" Harry nodded, albeit a little confusedly, and Sirius pressed on. "Well Dumbledore's not being entirely truthful about that. It's not accidental magic really. You see, you have an aptitude for Wandless Magic."_

_Harry just stared at Sirius for moment, before spluttering, "B-but, you have to be..."_

_"Extraordinarily powerful, yes, I know." Sirius interrupted him. "And you are, Harry, you should know this by now. I expect you don't know just how powerful you really are._

_"Harry, by the time you come into your full powers, you will most likely be the most powerful wizard on earth."_

_'And again he gives me the goldfish impression,' Sirius thought amusedly. 'You'd think he'd be used to surprises by now.'_

_Harry finally manged to recover, and he looked very very angry now. "Why hasn't he told me this?" he hissed through clenched teeth._

_Sirius himself was feeling quite angry at that moment, and he replied somewhat forcefully, "As you know, Wandless Magic is controlled mainly by your emotions. Only extremely powerful wizards can use it at all, and even then they have to be very good at controlling their emotions to keep from blowing themselves up. Put simply, Dumbledore didn't trust you to keep your emotions in check, and opted to wait to tell you until you were older."_

_Harry closed his eyes and visibly tried to calm himself down. There was no use getting angry now, he didn't even have the old man around so he could yell at him. After several deep, calming breaths, he opened them again to look at his godfather. "Alright, what else hasn't he told me?"_

_Sirius looked thoughtful for a moment. "Let's see now, you found out about the vault already, and I told you about your Wandless Magic (which we'll get started on tomorrow by the way), I don't think there's anything else, except whatever he's keeping from you about the Order right now."_

_Before Harry could ask any more questions, Sirius moved on to the next thing they had to discuss. "Right, about your sister. This'll have to be absolutely secret from anyone except the two of us, as Voldemort won't hesitate to go after her." Seeing the look Harry was giving him, Sirius hastened to add, "And you can tell your little girlfriend too of course."_

_Harry gave him his best 'you're-going-to-die-for-that-one' look, at which Sirius only grinned cheekily._

_"You'll be wanting to find her of course," Sirius said. Harry just rolled his eyes as if to say 'naturally you imbecile.' Sirius gave him another cheeky grin and decided to get down to business. "Right then, we should start getting some private investigators on the case. You've got enough money to go all-out in the search and never even notice any change in your account, so don't worry about that part of it. The hardest part will be making sure the investigators don't let anything slip to the wrong people, and that they don't know too much that's sensitive just in case."_

_Harry nodded thoughtfully, and Sirius continued, "We'll get to that the day after tomorrow. I've also got to tell you about that stone we got from the vault."_

_Harry's ears perked up curiously, and he gave Sirius his full attention, keeping his thoughts from straying to his sister, as they had been a moment before. "The first thing you must know is that I'm the first non-Potter to even know about that stone for about 300 years. I found out by accident, and James ended up telling me the whole story eventually._

_"Not a lot is known, since this stone is an absolute secret, but one thing we do know is it was made by one of your ancestors centuries ago because his newborn son was too powerful for his own good. You see, every hundred years or so the Potter family has a habit of turning out an extraordinarily powerful new Potter. When they do, they use this stone to lock away a good portion of his powers until he is older. If they didn't, the young Potter would most likely destroy himself (and his family) simply because he has no control. That's what Lily and James did to you, though Dumbledore doesn't know it._

_"It was tradition for these Potters to be allowed their full powers on their 16th birthday, as by that time they usually had gained enough control to handle them. That's why I had you get the stone, so we can use it to unlock your full power on your birthday. Even without this, you are a powerful wizard, but with it, your power easily rivals that of Voldemort, perhaps even surpasses it."_

_Harry looked suddenly hopeful. "Does that mean..."_

_Sirius shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, I don't think it will be that easy to defeat him. It's not just a matter of power, but also skill and knowledge, of which you have some but not enough. Then there's the fact that he can't be killed by conventional means. Just look at what happened the last time he was hit by a Killing Curse! We will have to find some different way to kill him, I'm afraid. Don't worry though, I'm sure together we'll be able to come up with something."_

_Harry hung his head. "I don't know if I can beat him, Siri. I have to do it, I know I do, but sometimes I just don't think I can do it."_

_Sirius just patted his back reassuringly. "C'mon now, none of that nonsense. I know you'll beat him, Inferno old boy. You got me don't ya? We're Marauders! No task is too great, no enemy too cunning. We'll beat him, I'm sure of it."_

_This seemed to bolster Harry's courage once again, and he got that determined glint back in his eyes. "You're right. Thanks, Siri. Speaking of Marauders, are we going to let Moony in on all of this? I'm sure he'd be the most likely to help us."_

_Sirius snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot! Thanks for reminding me! Moony knows all about the training in America and the Wandless Magic, and he's firmly on our side. After he lost your parents, Peter, and me all within a couple of days, he started to doubt Dumbledore's judgement. Once he heard everything I had to tell him after I came back, he told me he was with us in whatever we decided to do. Alastor Moody is also on our side. No one knows better than him how dangerous the Dark Side is, and how important it is that we start being realistic about fighting fire with fire."_

_Harry nodded his head thoughtfully. "Good, we need as many people as possible to be with us on this. I think also we may be able to convince the Diggorys, perhaps Neville Longbottom, and of course Ginny to join us in this. They've all either experienced the Dark Lord firsthand, or lost someone close to them because of Voldemort. They'll know that it takes more than a stunner to take care of a Death Eater, and they'll most likely be willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that what happened to them never has to happen to anyone else."_

_Sirius just grinned at his godson as he continued to ramble off ideas and plans. "Excellent, my dear little Inferno. We're definitely on the right track with all of this. Now, there's one more thing we need to talk about. We've got to keep that old bugger out of your head. I felt his presence tonight when you had your vision. He's trying to push me out of your mind so that he can have better access. If he succeeds, he'll be able to read your thoughts and memories. I'm taking a big risk as it is telling you everything that I know, as he'll be able to find out all our plans if he pushes me out."_

_Harry was (understandably) quite troubled by this piece of knews, and immediately went into contemplation mode. "How long...." he finally managed to start but trailed off before he completed his sentence._

_"I can hold him off for a while yet if that's what you're asking," Sirius said. At Harry's nod he continued, "it'll probably be another two or three weeks before he manages to push me out. It gets harder and harder every night to break through your vision and pull you in here. We've got to find a solution soon though. We don't want him doing this any more than we have to let him."_

_He gave Harry a searching look. "Any ideas on how to block him out?" When Harry just looked lost, Sirius decided to start the reasoning process. "You said he possessed you that night at the Ministry. What drove him out eventually?"_

_"Professor Dumbledore said it was my heart," Harry said quietly. "My thoughts were so full of how much I had loved you that he couldn't stand it and had to leave."_

_Sirius contemplated that for a moment. "Alright, so let's try this: every night before you go to sleep, concentrate on how much you love all your friends. The Weasleys, me, Moony, anyone you feel close to. I don't think it'll keep him out, but it might buy us some time until we can come up with something better._

_"Meanwhile, maybe we can use some muggle meditation techniques to allow you to explore the connection between the two of you. That may give you some perspective on the whole thing and come up with some sort of permanent solution. I don't know a lot, but I did learn a little bit about it when I took Martial Arts."_

_Sirius suddenly stood and pulled his godson out of his seat. He put his hand to Harry's head and said, "Time for some more knowledge from good old Hogwarts, and then we'll get started on the meditation."_

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AN

There it is. I'd like to explain the fact that I'm portraying America in a positive light in this chapter. In no way am I trying to make a statement that America is a better country in real life. I merely think that the magical government in the UK, as portrayed by JKR, is a corrupt, biggoted, and ineffective system. Therefore I decided that Harry needed to get help elsewhere.

My essay teacher always told me that a good writer writes about what he or she knows. Since I know a lot more about the US than I do about England, I naturally turned to that as a solution for Harry's help. I do not intend to pull some 'Harry moves to America and gives up on England' thing or some such rot. A large part of this fic is Harry attempting to fix parts of the magical world that are messed up, such as the Ministry.

In case anyone tries to tell me that the whole Wandless Magic bit is overused, I'd just like to say that I'm only putting it in there at all because I honestly believe that that is the direction JKR is taking in the books. You can see it when he blows up his aunt in book 3, and also in book 5 when he 'lights up' his wand even though he isn't touching it (during the dementor attack). If it weren't for that, I'd leave it out altogether because it's become cliche to use it in fanfics.

Once again thanks to all my reviewers. I'd thank you individually, but I'm sure you'd rather I wrote the next chapter instead! So if you're not in the following review responses, consider yourself thanked from the bottom of my heart!

**john: **Don't worry about his sister. Her purpose in this story is not an all-powerful witch, but just to add a bit of drama to the whole thing. And Harry's emotions will continue to fluctuate throughout the story, particularly his anger.

**Yavinbase: **yavin, old buddy, old pal. Glad to see you made it here! I'm not sure the Marauder's Map will have any significant importance, other than the fact that it's still Harry's main way of sneaking around the castle ;)

**loudndproud223: **You know, you're right. There do seem to be a lot of fan fiction writers that are female. I have seen a few male ones, but they're few and far between. If you like my story, you may like dbzdragonlanceman as an author. He's a guy, and his stories are pretty good too. As for the HG stuff in my story, I'm going to try not to make this too much like a fairy tale. It's going to be hard though, since I can't writethelove storyfrom firsthand experience (having never fallen in love to the best of my knowledge). So realism will be hard to find in that part of my story. I can only promise my best effort.

**thephantom114: **Nope. Not Hermione, sorry. She's going to be an original character. Good guess though.

**SweetPixi: **I guess it's true what they say: your toughest critic is always yourself. Thanks for the encouragement.

**athenakitty: **I think I did cover Harry asking whether Sirius knew about Katherine in chapter 7. I don't know about the twins.....do you think Harry should prank them a few dozen times first? Harry will most definitely meet his sister, though I can't guarantee when. I love your questions, and to answer your last one, I like a lovely mix best.


	9. Pranks and Training

AN

Well, I would have had this out much sooner, but much of the time that I was going to spend writing these last few days was actually spent holed up in my room with JC-S planning out the rest of the fic. We had a lot of ground to cover too, but I think we've got virtually the entire thing planned out the way we want it. I guess he's practically my co-writer at this point. heh heh.

I'm sorry this is so short, but it's really just a filler chapter with some stuff that was necessary, but not really super-important. The next chapter will be much, much longer, and we'll be reaching a critical point in the story, so look forward to that. If you're lucky, maybe even some action!

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

-Instert text here- Harry speaking to Sirius in his mind

:Instert text here: Sirius speaking to Harry in Harry's mind

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Chapter 9

Pranks and Training

Harry sat on his bed quietly, completely motionless. To the casual observer, he appeared to be lost in deep thought, heedless of the world around him. In all actuallity, however, Harry was listening very intently for the slightest sound from the first floor of the house in which he was currently residing.

After the mentally and emotionally draining conversation he'd had with his Sirius the night before, he'd decided to work of some of his frustration by making good use of the supplies sent his way by the Weasley twins.

So that morning, when he'd gotten up extra early, instead of heading for the park, he'd dropped several of Fred and George's special "cough drops" into the tea kettle that was waiting next to the stove.

The cough drops really were quite brilliant, in his opinion. They looked, tasted, and were even wrapped exactly the same as the muggle variety, but with some key differences in other aspects. For instance, they dissolved extremely quickly in liquid, particularly water. This made them ideal for slipping into a targets drink, or made them hard to spit out if the victim unwrapped one and popped it into their mouth.

The main difference, however, was that instead of relieving cough symptoms of any sort, they tended to make the victim unable to stop coughing for several long minutes. Nothing strong enough to choke the person, or make it too hard to breath, Fred and George had assured him. Just a really annoying coughing fit that seemed to last forever.

"Any second now," Harry muttered to himself. They should've poured the tea by now, judging by the slight clinking he'd heard. He'd taken a chance using the tea kettle for his prank. He'd filled it up and put the drops inside, then set it next to the stove. He could only hope his aunt would think she'd filled it up the night before and not try to figure out why it was full that morning.

It was a necessary risk though, really. Tea was the only thing that all three Dursleys drank in the morning.

Then he heard it. A tiny cough started from his Uncle Vernon. Then another, and another, gradually becoming louder and harsher with each subsequent cough. There was the sound of china breaking, then more coughing, this time from Dudley. Before long, all three of his relatives were unable to speak as the drops full effects hit them.

Harry could hold it back no longer, and he collapsed from his bed to the floor in hysterical laughter. He laughed til tears streamed down his face, and in his head he could hear Sirius echoing his laughter.

It took fully 10 minutes for the Dursleys to recover from their coughing fit, and even longer for Harry and Sirius to recover from their laughter. When they'd finally managed to compose themselves, Harry heard his godfather's voice in his mind.

:Well done, Mr. Inferno. Not bad for your first official Marauder prank.:

-Why thank you, Mr. Padfoot. I'm delighted to say that I rather enjoyed that, and we'll have to do some more very soon.-

Harry couldalmost see the sort-of-dead older Marauder rubbing his hands together in glee and anticipation.

:Indeed we will, my young protegé. I look forward to it.:

Harry snorted. -I'm sure you do.-

Just then, they heard rather loud footsteps pounding up the stairs. They were too loud for Petunia, and too quiet for Dudley. 'Vernon then,' thought Harry. 'This should be interesting.'

Vernon Dursley burst through Harry's bedroom door with incredible force, nearly taking it off it's hinges and slamming it powerfully against the wall. He quickly spotted his nephew sitting calmly on the desk chair, and his already red-hot anger reached critical proportions.

Harry, for his part, seemed completely unaffected by his uncle's quite obvious rage, and simply raised a single eyebrow in feigned surprise.

"Yes uncle?" he asked politely. "Can I help you?"

Vernon's face, which was the most magnificent shade of purple Harry had ever seen, screwed up in a very strange (and perhaps even comical) position as he started to scream at his nephew seemingly loud enough to wake the dead.

"IT WAS YOU WASN'T IT BOY? I WON'T HAVE IT I TELL YOU! EXPOSING US TO YOUR FREAKISHNESS, PLAYING DANGEROUS TRICKS! UNGRATEFUL, THAT'S WHAT IT IS! IT'S THE FINAL STRAW! OUT! I WANT YOU OUT NOW! I WON'T TOLERATE YOUR UNGRATEFUL, ABNORMAL SELF HERE ANY LONGER!"

He paused to catch his breath, and just stood there, his fists clenched at his sides, quivering with rage.

Harry, on the other hand, gave no outward sign that he had even heard his uncle, other than to stare at him, for several long moments. Inwardly, of course, was another matter entirely. On the inside he was fuming after Vernon's diatribe. How dare he call him ungrateful? He would rather have lived on the street than in this horrible house where he'd been abused his whole life. His power flared slightly, and he quickly put a clamp down on his anger. This was no time to lose his control.

He stood slowly, and then took a couple steps forward until he was standing right in front of the older man. He noticed, with some small surprise, that he was several inches taller than his uncle. Obviously, he'd grown a bit since last summer. He probably just hadn't noticed it before because he'd only stood next to Vernon the _last _time they'd been having an argument. Understandably, he'd been rather too busy shouting at the time to notice a height difference.

He decided not to bother trying to deny the prank. Vernon would never believe him anyway. "Calm yourself, uncle, it was only a harmless prank." His eyes narrowed, and he added, "And I suggest you stop calling me 'ungrateful' and 'abnormal.' I warned you once before not to cross me. I was not joking."

Vernon did not (unfortunately for him) take this advice to heart, and decided to teach his upstart young nephew a lesson. He swung his fist wide at Harry's head, in a typical slow, impractical haymaker. Harry, fortunately, had anticipated the move, and ducked at precisely the correct moment. This threw his uncle off-center, and left him with nothing to defend his right side. Harry put his right foot across his own body, and behind the older man's right leg, while at the same time grabbing Vernon's right bicep with his own right hand. He then yanked Vernon's arm forwards (backwards for Vernon), while simultaneously pulling his own leg straight back, sweeping his uncle's leg in the process.

The whole thing went so fast that Vernon didn't even have time to blink, before he was laying flat on his back on the floor of Harry's bedroom. Harry was panting heavily, yet not from exertion. He was actually fuming. His uncle had actually tried to hit him! He hadn't done that since before Harry had gone to Hogwarts. He started taking deep, calming breaths to bring himself back under control. If he didn't get control of his anger and magic fast, there wasn't going to be enough Vernon left to fill a measuring cup.

Sirius whispered calming words into his mind, and Harry unclenched his fists and tried to relax. Vernon just lay on the floor in stunned disbelief. He hadn't even seen his nephew move, and here he was on the floor! That kid was fast!

Harry finally managed to gain enough control to speak, albeit in a very harsh, strained-sounding voice. "I warned you. I warned you, and you refused to listen. This is just a small taste of what I am capable of, and I didn't even use magic." He paused to allow his uncle to flinch at the word the man hated so much. It was ironic really. Vernon was as afraid of saying the word magic as wizards were of saying Voldemort. He continued, "I've got news for you. I don't care about being expelled any more. If you so much as look at me cross-eyed again, I will make absolutely certain that you and your family regret it for the rest of your miserable lives. With, or without magic," another flinch, "You can bet that you will regret it. Now, get out of my sight, before I do something stupid."

There was so much cold, barely contained fury in his nephew's hardened gaze, that Vernon didn't even stop to question the fact that a 15-year-old was ordering him around. All he knew was that he had to get out of there, and fast.

So he ran.

Once he was gone, Harry sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands. The next few weeks were going to be awful. He couldn't wait until he got out of there on his birthday. He still hadn't decided whether he was going to inform Dumbledore of his plan to stay at the burrow beforehand or just do it. It would serve the old man right, after everything he'd put Harry through.

:Easy there, Harry. Calm down. Maybe you should lay down for a while. We'll get started on your training later.:

Harry just nodded tiredly, momentarily forgetting that Sirius couldn't actually see the gesture. Maybe if he just laid back for a while and gathered his thoughts, he'd feel better.

* * *

Several hours later, Harry awoke with a start. Apparently he'd dozed off while resting, and Sirius hadn't pulled him into the Marauder Realm. 

:Of course I didn't. You needed your rest, and while the Marauder Realm is interesting and useful, your mind doesn't get as much rest there as it does when I just let you sleep.:

-Oh. Does that mean I'll actually have normal dreams now and then?-

:You? Have normal dreams?:

-Good point.-

:Alright, now stand up and let's get started on Wandless Magic. Fortunately, the Ministry can only detect wand magic, so you'll be able to get away with this easily.:

-Uh, Sirius?- Harry said confusedly. -Are you sure it's undetectable? Because Dobby didn't use a wand when he smashed my aunt's pudding, and I got a letter for that....-

:Wasn't he trying to keep you out of school?:

-Yes.-

:Any second now....:

Then it hit him. -Oh. Oops,- said Harry, blushing furiously. Fortunately, Sirius couldn't see that. -He altered his magical signature so that I'd get in trouble didn't he?-

:Yep. Now, if there are no more _interruptions_....:

Another blush. Good thing Sirius was only in his mind.

:I didn't think so. Let's get started then, shall we? As you know, Wandless Magic is fueled by your emotions. The stronger the emotion, the stronger the spell. Your most common emotion will be _desire_. For instance, a desire to get to what is behind a door will fuel your _alohomora_ spell, and your desire to levitate an object will fuel your levitation charm. Your most powerful emotions are _anger_ and _love._ Anger will be used for most of your curses, hexes, jinxes, etc....whereas love would be used for the counters to those.:

:Let's start with something very simple. Try to levitate that book on your desk a few inches. Concentrate on how badly you want it to hover, then say the words. Closing your eyes may help, since you can invision the book hovering easier.:

Harry shut his eyes and relaxed a little. Then concentrated with all his might on the vision of the book hovering, of _wanting _it to hover. He raised his hand and opened his mouth, but before he could say the words, he felt the magic pulse in his hand, and opened his eyes in shock.

There was the book, fully a foot off his desk. It didn't stay long, because his concentration had slipped, but it had been there.

Sirius was impressed, so say the least. :Wow. That was good. I didn't expect you to get the wordless bit down that fast. Most wizards and witches have some small aptitude for Wandless Magic. I know I got as far as summoning matches before I couldn't do any more. Wordless, Wandless Magic though, is another story. Very good, kiddo.:

Harry was still standing there, staring at the book. :Hey! Harry! Wake up!:

Harry shook himself. -Sorry, Padfoot.-

A snort. :By this time, I'd think you'd be used to surprises.:

Harry made no reply, instead opting to start trying a few other spells. Summoning worked out fairly well (but then, he'd always done well with that), but Banishing he had to use the incantation. Basic Conjuring was fairly easy without the incantation, but most conjuring even with a wand was wordless anyway. He got as high as fourth year material before he started having real problems getting the spells to respond even with incantations.

:You did well today, Harry. I didn't expect you to get so much accomplished so soon. I'd say that with a lot of practice you'll be able to do virtually every spell without a wand -- once we've unblocked the rest of your powers of course.:

Vernon had already left for work, so they decided to head down to Harry's favorite diner for lunch and then have some more Martial Arts training in the park. After the way it had helped take down Harry's uncle that morning, it was something the young man was more eager than ever to improve on.

* * *

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Review! 

I would like to once again thank all my reviewers for their encouraging and helpful comments. If you're not mentioned in the following review responses, it's because I have nothing specific to say to you, but I do express my deepest thanks for reviewing my story. I'd thank you individually, but I'm sure you'd rather I did some more writing!

**Dumbledore: **You want me to show more of his training? Wow, I didn't think I'd get a review like that. I find stories that do too much of his training to be really boring, but maybe that's just me. I think there will be some more extensive training scenes and such in future chapters, but the only training he's had thus far is Martial Arts (and Wandless Magic in the chapter I'm currently putting up as I type this). I would write more about the Martial Arts training, but I think most people would be totally confused by the terms and such. Good guess on the Wandless Magic being undetectable, though I suppose I was a bit obvious about it wasn't I? The books in Harry's parent's trunk will be mostly light magic books, and he'll get all his dark magic books from Grimmauld Place later (since he inherited the house and everything in it). Although Occlumency isn't really necessary for his connection to old lizard face, he still should learn it for when he's actually face to face with him shouldn't he? Occlumency will be learned some time in the book.....Thanks for your review, I quite enjoyed your thoughts.

**marick ishtar: **So I should have more dialogue eh? I'll keep that in mind while I write future chapters. Thanks for your review.

**Tanydwr: **Dragons. Fire. Good grief I feel like an idiot. How could I forget that? Especially with what I'm planning for the rest of the book....

yep, 18th century would be right. July 4 1775. My theory on the whole magic government would be that we Americans had a bit of a fresh start back then. A chance to be a little more open about the whole magicthing so tospeak(minus the Salem incidents). It would then indicate that there wouldn't be all those silly prejudices between muggle-borns and purebloods (working side by side in a new land). I can't say for sure of course, but that's how it seems to me, so that's how I write it. Thanks for your review, I really enjoyed it.

**Lady Phoenix Slytherin: **She's a somewhat typical American teenager. We'll meet her before Christmas (in the fic) I promise!

**Yavinbase: **All three forms will be used throughout the story, and besides just being his forms have a deeper meaning for the philosophy of his fighting the Dark Lord. More on that later. Dragons will play a part in this story, but perhaps not in the way you think....enough said

**john: **The problem I find with fan fiction right now is that so many people have written so many fics, there just aren't any original ideas left. Unless you do alternate universe stuff (like say make Harry a soldier in the American Civil War or something). That doesn't mean I take my ideas from other fics, but it does mean that I won't have a lot of unique things in my story either. As for going to America....I've only read one fic with that in it, and that isn't even where I got the idea from, so how do you come to the conclusion that it's cliche? I will try to explain my reasons for making it happen though. Obviously, he can't get the training he needs in Britain, because everyone there who could train him is loyal to: A) Voldemort B) The Ministry or C) Dumbldore. None of whom Harry is happy with right now. I could've had him go to some other country, but the US is where I live, and thus the one I know the most about. It's also one of the youngest (relatively speaking)more powerfulcountries in the world, whereas places like Germany, France, Italy, etc would have the same built-up prejudices that England has.

You'll be happy to know, however, that I do toss out _some_ cliche ideas. For instance, I originally planned to have Ginny send Harry a letter that berated him for being a fool and broke him out of his pity party. I felt that was rather overused though, so I decided to make him get his godfather back - ina sense, thinking that that was a little more original. thanks for your continued reviews of this story.

**B-A-HPlova22: **Glad to know that my work is inspiring others, as I know my inspiration comes from many great writers such as JKR, Tolkien, Jeff Shaara, Timothy Zahn, and even some fan fiction writers such as Ashwinder, Jeconais (sp?), and dbzdragonlanceman. Thanks for reminding me about that note thing with Phoenixes (I had completely forgotten) and thanks for your review!

**TuxedoMac: **A lot of people seem to be wondering whether there will be anything more with Emily, so I guess I'll just say it. She'll be in the fic at least once more (if the current outline stands).

**Captain Oblivious: **I've always found Harry to be a bit of an idiot. But then, as a friend of mine told me, no one likes a perfect hero do they? Glad you like Sirius coming back. He's a fun character to write, so I just couldn't resist bringing him back. Thanks for your review!

**Princess-Fictoria:** Glad you see it that way about Dumbledore. I've always liked him, so I didn't want to make him evil, but I've also always felt they see him as too much of an all-powerful figure. Thanks for your review!

**captuniv: **Thanks for your review! I've come to dislike Ron and Hermione as characters lately, because they have some really annoying character traits which I won't get into right now. So I'm going to sort of cut them out of Harry's life so to speak for a little while until they manage to grow up. Guess Neville will be Harry's best friend.

**athenakitty: **I don't think Harry really needs to know anything more about his family at this point. Katherine's all the family he has left anyway (excluding the Dursleys is normal). Dursleys die? I haven't decided yet. If they did, it'd be a non-important blip of information much later in the story. What do you mean by who started the Potter family? The name most likely came from when first names started to become too common, and men started using their professions for family names (ie, 'John the Potter' becomes 'John Potter'). In some cases, they used their father's names ('Daniel, son of John' becomes Daniel Johnson). If you mean who were they first descended from, then they were descended from either Adam and Eve, or early humans evolved from primates, depending on your beliefs (there are others I know, but I don't feel like listing them). I hope that answers your question, because I don't understand. As for meditation, do you mean you don't know what that is? Some Weasleys may help Harry (I think Fred and George will always be firmly on his side no matter what) but I can't account for all of them. and of course the new approach will help Harry. It's the key to winning, and a large part of this book is about using the new approach.


	10. Mind War

AN

Here it is! Finally! I'm sorry it took so long, but I do have a legitimate reason, really! I got about three-quarters done writing it, and then read what I'd done and didn't like the way it was done at all. I had to re-write almost all of it again!

This is a fairly long chapter, so I hope you think it makes up for the really short one last time. I think chapter 11 will be pretty long as well, so look forward to that in the next few days.

Thanks once again to ALL my reviewers, and my (almost) co-writer, JC-S

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 10

Mind War

The following three weeks flashed by in a haze of activity. Harry continued his Martial Arts and Wandless Magic training, and could now do most 5th year spells easily without a wand. In addition, he could do most spells up to 3rd year or so wordlessly. He was stuck there though. He wouldn't be able to progress any further until he unlocked his power, and even then it would take him months of hard work to be able to do any more spells wandlessly or wordlessly.

Besides his training, Harry also managed to pay a visit to a few private detectives, both magical and muggle, concerning his long lost sister. He didn't tell them who she really was, of course, only that she was someone he wanted to find. He gave them what information he could, and told them to spare no expense. He'd empty his vault for this if necessary.

The detectives, of course, were eager to do as he asked, once he said that. He only hoped that word of this didn't get back to Voldemort. Sirius had unfortunately no close friends in that line of work, and they'd been forced to trust virtual strangers.

Still, if it found him Katherine, it was worth the risk.

After they were finished with the detectives, Sirius had insisted that Harry go shopping. He was, after all, the heir of two of the wealthiest magical families in Great Britain. He could at least wear some decent clothes now and then, instead of the oversized rags inherited from Dudley.

Unfortunately (as far as Harry's opinion went) Sirius' shopping day hadn't stopped at new clothes. He'd also insisted that Harry get rid of his old glasses (for which the prescription had changed dramatically anyway), and start using contacts. Even that wasn't enough for the old marauder though, and before the day was out, Harry was sporting an earring on his left ear and a tattoo of a dragon on his right arm, up near the shoulder.

Anyone who'd seen the short, scrawny boy in the big glasses that first came to Hogwarts would have a hard time recognizing him now. Nearly a month of physical conditioning (including some transfigured basic gym equipment in his room) had done it's work. Harry was now a 6-foot tall, well-muscled (though still more slim than really built), handsome young man, with startling green eyes and short, spiky black hair.

One of Harry's favorite things about the muggle world had always been that nobody noticed him. There was no one staring at him or pointing out his scar. To Sirius' delight, and Harry's horror, that changed once he got his 'makeover.' Now he attracted stares where ever he went. Of course, it was mostly from the female population of the muggle world, but that did little to make Harry less uncomfortable. His godfather's increasingly lewd comments and hysterical laughter when ever a teenage girl looked his way was not helping much either.

That was why on one particular morning, exactly 21 days after his first attempt at Wandless Magic, Harry was doing some of his Martial Arts exercises in the park, trying desperately to ignore the two girls sitting on a park bench several dozen yards away, staring openly at him and giggling to each other.

:You know, Harry...: Sirius started to say, before being immediately cut off by his now quite irate godson.

-Padfoot, if you say one more word about those two, I swear by all that is holy that I will shut you out of my mind for a week.-

Sirius winced mentally. Getting shut out for long periods of time was quite unpleasant. Mostly because it was immensely boring.

:Alright, alright already. Relax, I'll shut up about them. I was just going to say that we need to do that ritual tonight.:

That threw Harry momentarily. He stopped the kicking drill he was in the midst of, and settled onto the ground in what looked to be a meditative pose. In reality, he was just sitting and closing his eyes so that he wouldn't get strange looks from people who saw the emotions from his conversation with Sirius flash across his face.

-Tonight?! Why tonight? I thought we had to wait until my birthday....-

:Ordinarily, yes, you would wait for your 16th birthday, but we don't have that luxury any more. The ritual is going to take a lot out of you, and if we don't do it soon, that temporary weakness will leave you vulnerable to Voldemort. We have to do it now, while I'm still a strong enough presence in your mind to keep him out long enough for you to recover. I'd hoped we'd come up with a solution before it came to this, but it doesn't look like it's going to turn out that way.:

Each night since their long conversation in the Marauder Realm about his future, Harry had been filling his head with thoughts of the people closest to him right before going to sleep, in the hopes that it would make it harder for Voldemort to enter his mind. It worked, somewhat. Voldemort was only able to send him the dreams of the Death Chamber every second or third night, instead of every single night. Sirius only pulled Harry into the Marauder Realm on those nights (and they managed to finish transferring Sirius' knowledge during that time)

They were only delaying the inevitable, however, for each night that Voldemort actually managed to break through long enough to send a vision, Sirius' presence in Harry's mind and his ability to hold back the Dark Lord grew weaker.

-Alright then, tonight it is.- Harry said, then went back to the kicking drill he'd been in the middle of when they started their conversation.

:I warn you, Harry. This ritual will be painful. That much is clear from what little about the stone is recorded. It's loads worse than the Cruciatus Curse. And that's if you do it on your 16th birthday. If you do it earlier than that it's even worse.:

Harry swallowed. -I see. So that's why we didn't just do the ritual immediately after getting the stone. I'm curious though, why does it have to be on the 16th birthday?-

:Because that's when you have grown enough in body and mind to withstand the pain. You actually most likely had enough emotional control to be able to have your power unlocked by the time you were 15, but the ritual is so painful, you probably would've gone insane from the sheer agony. Don't worry though, your birthday is only 6 days away, so the difference won't even be noticeable.....at least I don't think so.:

Harry forced a laugh. -Well that's encouraging.-

That night, Harry ate dinner with the Dursleys. He'd been doing it every night since his first prank, and rather enjoyed the effect it had on his relatives. They were very jumpy if he made any sudden moves, and sniffed each bite of food and cup of tea suspiciously before consuming it. Of course, their fear was somewhat justified, since Harry had been putting a few "surprises" on their plates and in their cups every now and then.

That night, he ate his ham and potatoes slowly, savoring both the taste (which wasn't even fit to be compared with the Hogwarts Elves' cooking) and the revenge he was taking on his aunt, uncle, and cousin. He tried desperately not to laugh when each of them, one at a time, cast him fearful looks, as though he would blow up and kill them all at any moment.

Some might have thought it a bit cruel to torture them in this way, but when you really consider it, all he was doing was forcing them to be civil to him, and to not treat him like a slave. If that somehow seemed like torture to them, then he wasn't to blame. The pranks, of course, were another matter, but they were harmless really, and besides, that was nothing to being used as slave labor, being locked in a cupboard, or any of the other innumerable things they'd done to him when he was younger. One could hardly find fault with him for getting back at them just a little.

When everyone was done eating, Petunia got up to clean the dishes, and Harry, out of habit more than anything, helped her clear the table. He would've hung around a bit longer and made them squirm some more, but he really needed to get upstairs and do the ritual.

He put the last few cups into the sink, and then dashed upstairs as fast as he could, nearly bowling over Dudley on his way out. Once he was alone in his room, with the door magically locked and the room put under the strongest silencing charm he could manage without a wand, he clambered down into the trunk his parents had left him, where he had kept the stone ever since returning to the vault.

As he climbed back out of the trunk, Harry made a mental note to spend more time in there reading in the future, as he'd only even been in there once since retrieving it, and then he only got to look through the titles to see what he had - mostly Defence books it seemed, though there were quite a few on strange subjects he was sure weren't taught in Hogwarts or virtually anywhere else. Probably because his parents had been Unspeakables.

He sat down on the floor of his room, with his legs folded into an Indian seat. -Alright, Padfoot, what do I have to do?-

:Take the stone out of the box, and hold it out in front of you.:

Harry did so, once again feeling the strange sense of power radiating off the crimson object with the golden Potter crest etched onto the surface. He clasped it in both hands straight out in front of him, letting the chain hang loosely below his fingers.

:Alright, now concentrate on the stone and say very clearly, _absolvo habeo pollentia:_

_"Absolvo habeo pollentia"_ Harry said loudly and strongly.

Suddenly, the world faded.

There was nothing but black all around him. No light anywhere. A vast ocean of nothing.

Then, a small pinprick of light in the distance, growing steadily larger and larger, brighter and brighter. Soon he was immersed in the light, swimming in it like a sea. It was blindingly bright. Brighter than the brightest sun.

Something dark loomed ahead. A wall, made of gigantic black stones. The wall wasn't supposed to be there, it was holding back something, something that belonged to him. He had to destroy the wall, but how? He.....floated? Glided? Swam? It didn't matter. He went right up to the wall, put his hand on it. It was too strong, he couldn't break it.

Determination welled up inside him. Yes he could. No wall was going to hold him back.

The light around him roiled agitatedly. His determination fueling it. That was it. The light would destroy the wall for him.

He raised his hands, and threw them forward. The light pulled back, then slammed into the wall. He wasn't sure how light could slam into anything, but it didn't matter. The wall groaned under the onslaught, but held.

He raised his hands again, and threw them forward, harder this time. The light withdrew, then slammed forward into the wall once more. Small cracks appeared in the wall, but it held.

He roared in frustration. It wasn't working. The light around him welled up and grew even brighter in his anger. He raised his hands one more time, and threw them forward with all his might. The light pulled back so far it almost disappeared, then in an almighty rush, threw itself at the wall with everything it had.

That did it. The wall crumbled into dust, and more light poured out from behind it. This light was different. It wasn't pure, blinding white like the rest, but a myriad of colors, like a rainbow. It mixed with the white light and the two became one. The light grew brighter than ever before, and he shielded his eyes, though it did little good.

Then he felt the pain. Intense, powerful, neverending pain. The light was flowing to every molecule in his body, infusing every inch of him with power.

He found himself back on the floor of his room, screaming in agony. A million times worse than the Cruciatus. A thousand times worse than when Voldemort possessed him. It pervaded his entire body. Every cell, every molecule, every atom, was in pain. He could think of nothing else, but the pain. He wanted it to end, to die. Then, determination welled up inside him once more. He would not give in. The pain could not control him, instead he would control it. He shunted it sideways, ignoring it, willing his body to not feel it.

He got to his feet shakily, and closed his mouth to cut off the screaming. The pain faded away. It was over, he won.

He felt powerful. More so than ever before in his life. His whole body tingled with the sensation of magic flowing through his very veins. His fingertips crackled with suppressed energy when he clenched his hands into fists. His whole body glowed like a sun.

Then the glow faded, and he only felt tired. The power was there, waiting for him to call upon it, but for now, he had to sleep. He was exhausted.

As he collapsed onto his bed, he heard what sounded suspiciously like a sniffle, and Sirius whispered to him, :Well done, son. I'm so very proud of you.: and then he was asleep.

_He was in pain again. His entire body was exploding from the inside out. He knew what was happening. Sirius hadn't been able to hold on any longer. The Dark Lord was inside his mind._

_He tried to push him out, but Voldemort was too strong. _

_Fortunately, Harry hardly even noticed the pain. It wasn't nearly as bad as the Ritual._

_The Dark Lord was shuffling through his mind. Reading his thoughts and memories like books on a shelf. Harry saw and felt a stream of images and emotions. _

_......The Dursleys were locking him in his cupboard for the first time. He had a nightmare that night, and pounded helplessly on the door, but no one heard him......_

_....He was soaring through the air in his first quidditch match. Lee was announcing the score....._

_......He was coming up out of the lake at the end of the second task, Ron and Gabrielle in tow....._

_.......He was in detention with Umbridge, she was making him write lines in his own blood, forming scars on the back of his hand....._

_......He was reading the letter about Katherine, tears pouring down his cheeks....._

_......He was going to visit Ginny, a strange sense of excitement running through him. Why was he so excited? It was only Ginny...._

_'No!' He thought desperately. Not those memories, Voldemort would go after them both. He could feel the emotions from those times all over again. First pain, sadness, anger, shock, and perhaps hope when he found out he had a sister, then some unidentified ones connected with Ginny...._

_He knew then, he really did care for Ginny. Deeply so. Some time in the last year it had happened. He had come to care for Ginny Weasley, and as more than a friend, pity he had been shut an idiot about it. He could feel the Dark Lord's laughter as he came to the same conclusion._

_"Got yourself a girlfriend have you Potter?" sneered the evil man. "Interesting."_

_"NOOOO!" Harry roared. He had to get that man out of his mind. He was going to take Ginny..._

_White-hot anger rose inside him. No he most certainly would not. Harry would die before he let that happen. His anger spread like wildfire. He could feel it burn in his very veins, a river of molten magma. He let the anger take over, as the power it brought forth reared up inside him like a gigantic snake, waiting to be unleashed. _

_He shoved hard against the foul presence invading his mind._

_He could sense Voldemort's confusion. Obviously, he had no idea just how dangerous a foe Harry really was._

_"OUT OF MY MIND TOM!" he pushed the thought against his enemy._

_Voldemort was resisting, trying desperately to stay withing Harry's mind. Harry gathered his power and pushed harder, and the Dark Lord gave a little. Harder still, the young man pushed, until he could feel his foe weakening. Harry gathered himself for a final push, and rammed his power into the Dark Lord's presence with everything he had._

_Then Voldemort was out, and he was slamming his mental walls into place, reinforcing them, making them impregnable. Sirius' presence returned to his mind, and he felt him lend his strength to the shields, shoring them up until nothing on earth could get through them without Harry's permission. _

_The blinding pain, forgotten until now, returned for a moment, and then slowly receded._

_Everything went dark, a strange shift and a jolt, and Harry was back in the Marauder Realm._

_Sirius was waiting for him. "We did it!" he cried happily, doing a little dance of joy._

_Harry, on the other hand, was not so happy. "Yes, we did it, but he knows now Siri. He knows about Katherine....and Ginny."_

_Sirius sobered at once. He contemplated this for a moment. "That's not good, Harry. Him knowing about Katherine isn't so bad, since he'll have to search for her just the same as we do. But Ginny.....he'll stop at nothing to get hold of her now, because he knows you'll do anything to save her. Nowhere is safe for her - perhaps not even Grimmauld Place."_

_Harry tapped his chin thoughtfully. "There is one place....." then he sat bolt upright on the bench he was resting on. "Sirius!" he shouted. "She's going to Diagon Alley tomorrow! And he knows! I need to wake up, NOW!"_

_Sirius didn't even hesitate, just laid his hand on Harry's shoulder and said, "See you in a moment."_

Harry awoke with a start. As soon as the memory of the night returned to him, he leapt out of bed and put on his clothes, socks, and shoes as fast as he possibly could.

He took a moment to glance at the clock next to his bed and nearly fell over in shock. It was nearly 10 am. The Weasleys would already be in the Alley by now. He had to move fast.

Just as he was about to leave, he stopped. Something was off. Then he caught it. His sense of Voldemort was gone. It had been an almost constant thing the last few weeks, and now it had disappeared altogether. Those mental shields he had put up must have been pretty powerful. He tentatively lowered them for a moment. Voldemort was feeling some pretty strong emotions at that moment. Glee, anticipation, and a little bit of confusion.

Harry nearly panicked. He was attacking, or at the least, about to. He had to go now. He started to transform and then stopped once more. 'Slow down,' he told himself. 'Don't go rushing in. You'll need help, go grab the Order first.'

:Good thinking,: said Sirius approvingly. Harry said nothing, just transformed and Flamed to the kitchen of number 12, Grimmauld Place.

He arrived right in the middle of what must have been a late breakfast. Tonks, Remus, Kingsley, Hestia, and surprisingly Dumbledore himself were all there, sipping tea.

Of course, the sight of a large, solid gold Phoenix suddenly appearing in the kitchen was enough to make most of them spill that very same tea all over the place. Only Dumbledore managed to keep from dropping his cup, and even he looked uncharacteristically surprised.

He did drop his cup when, a moment later, the Phoenix transformed into none other than Harry James Potter.

"Professor!" said the young man urgently. "Voldemort is attacking Diagon Alley! We have to go!"

The aging man didn't even hesitate. After all, Phoenixes were pure Light creatures, so it had to be the real Harry. Besides that, he had found Grimmauld Place (even under the Fidelius), and had spoken the Dark Lord's name. There was no way it could be a trick.

"Very well. Remus, round up the rest of the Order and get over there as soon as you can. Harry, you stay here. Everyone else, come with me."

Harry glared at Dumbledore. "I think not, Professor." And with that, he was gone in a burst of flame.

He reappeared in front of the doors of Gringotts to pandemonium. The attack was obviously well under way. As he reverted to human form, he noted that there were already a few dead bodies littering the street. There were small battles between Death Eaters and civilians everywhere, and the Death Eaters were easily winning.

'Why won't they just disapparate?' thought Harry. The children couldn't, obviously, but that didn't explain why there were so many people still in the Alley. He attempted to disapparate and realized suddenly why everyone was still there. Anti-apparition wards. Temporary ones, but enough to hold everyone there for several hours.

He glanced down towards the other end of the Alley. The Death Eaters held the entrance. Everyone was trapped. Behind him, the goblins had sealed the main doors of Gringotts.

With these wards up, the Order and the Ministry would have a hard time getting in.

:You'll have to take them down, Harry.: Sirius said soberly.

Harry was confused. -How?-

:I have no idea. You're the all-powerful wizard. I just inhabit your mind:

-I don't have time for doing this now Sirius. They could have already gotten her by now. I'll break the wards once I've found her.-

Now he had to locate Ginny. He ran straight for the thick of the battle, using his most powerful curses on any Death Eater who got in his way. He spotted Fred and George fighting side by side several feet away. Any enemy who got close to them was incapacitated in rather unusual (and often rather painful) ways. There was one Death Eater who had somehow managed to sprout tentacles out of his head, and another had so many different hexes on him that he just sort of lay in the street, oozing.

Harry ran straight for the twin pranksters, who looked very surprised to see him. They opened their mouths, perhaps to do their eerie 'twin speak thing', but Harry didn't allow them to get started. "Where's Ginny?" he demanded.

The looked at each other, then back at him. "No idea," said Fred.

"Why?" asked George.

Harry motioned for them to come with him. "She's the reason for this attack. C'mon, we've got to find her and get her out of here."

The twins, serious for once, followed him without another word.

The trio fought their way for a dozen or so yards at an agonizingly slow rate. Harry, fed up with their progress, decided to reveal his secret to the twins.

He turned to them. "We're taking too long. I'm going to transform. When I do, grab my tail feathers."

Both of them blinked in surprise, but before they could ask what he meant, Harry was gone, replaced by a Golden Phoenix. They gasped (in unison of course) but grabbed his tail immediately. Harry took off into the air and started searching for the distinctive long, red hair of the smallest Weasley.

He spotted Arthur and Molly trying desperately to reach Ron, who was across the street fending off three Death Eaters by himself. 'Doing an excellent job of it too,' Harry thought to himself. He flew on. There was Bill, using some _very _nasty looking curses on the group of Death Eaters in front of him. Those ancient Egyptian wizards were twisted people.

Then he saw her, down a side street, backed up against a dead end. Several Death Eaters had formed a half-circle around her, and by the looks of it, they were taking turns putting her under the Cruciatus. Harry landed on a building above them and reverted to his natural form. Glancing at Fred and George, he could tell they were nearly as angered as he was by her agonized screams.

"OK, on three," he said. "One......Two......Thr-" he paused there, as her screams abruptly cut off. He peaked over the side of the building to see a black cloaked and hooded figure standing at the entrance to the side street. He removed his hood, and Harry heard two sharp intakes of breath from right beside him.

Inside his head, Sirius swore violently.

-I think that about sums it up,- said Harry.

Standing there, not 15 feet away, was the Dark Lord himself.

Harry watched in amazement as the dark wizard walked towards Ginny. Anger flowed in his veins once more. That _creature_ was not getting anywhere near his Ginny if he had anything to say about it.

He was so angry at that moment, he didn't even notice he had thought of her as _his _Ginny.

His eyes once more lit up with fury, twin pillars of fire blazing on twin pools of emerald green. His skin glowed brightly, as the power within him flowed hot once more. He let the anger take over, allowing the power it unleashed to fill him.

He turned to Fred and George. "He's mine. Take out the Death Eaters." Before they could say anything, he leapt off the building, transforming in mid-jump into the one form he had never before practiced.

A gigantic Hungarian Horntail Dragon landed right in front of the Dark Lord's face, roaring in rage. Voldemort didn't even have time to react, before he was brutally swept aside into the building on his right by the Dragon's clawed foot.

He got up, dazedly, and just barely had time to put up an anti-fire shield before the streams of fire coming from Harry's nostrils enveloped him.

When the flames dissipated, Voldemort immediately Conjunctivitus Curse at Harry's eyes.

Harry, having expected him to make that move, ducked immediately. Voldemort blinked. Dragons were smart, but anticipatin his move like that? He suddenly spotted a small, lightning-bold shaped group of scales on the dragon's snout.

His eyes narrowed. "Potter," he spat, then waved his wand and Harry reverted to his human form.

Harry smirked at his archenemy. "Took you long enough," he taunted. He risked a quick glance behind him and noted that the Death Eaters had all been successfully subdued, and the twins were crouched on the roof above him, waiting.

"Shut up, Potter. I see you've come to save your little girlfriend. I didn't think you'd come for her until I'd managed to get her away from here, but apparently I was wrong. No matter, I will destroy you, and then I will kill her as well."

Harry rolled his eyes. Voldemort and his 'You're going to die' speeches.

"Yeah, yeah, give it a rest, Tom. You can't defeat me. I've faced you what? Five times now? And each time I've either beat you or escaped." If he could keep Voldemort talking, there was a better chance of Dumbledore and help arriving. The old wizard would probably be able to break through the wards.

"Do not call me by that name," Voldemort hissed angrily.

Harry rolled his eyes again. "Afraid of your name, Tom?"

Voldemort opened his mouth, perhaps to make another angry retort, then closed it.

-Damn, he caught on to our little trick.-

:Looks like you'll have to fight.:

-No, really?-

:No need for sarcasm. Good luck, and kick his scaly rear end.:

"Trying to delay me, Potter? None of that now, let's get on with this duel shall we?"

Before Harry could even reply, the Dark Lord had sent a long stream of hexes, curses, and jinxes in his direction. He dropped into a roll that brought him up almost in the mans face, and kicked the wand out of the man's hand before he had time to react. He then proceeded to kick the man somewhere unmentionable. Voldemort doubled over in pain, and Harry slammed his elbow down on the back of his bent over head, sending him to the ground.

Harry went to grab his opponents wand, but as he reached for it, it zoomed past him and into the outstretched hand of Voldemort. The Dark Lord obviously had less human left in him than Harry originally thought, if he could take the beating he'd been give that easy. He should be unconcious right now. Still, he was satisfied to note that the man was wheezing in pain.

"This is not over, Potter," he choked out. There was a tremendous boom overhead that Harry recognized as the wards collapsing. Aurors, Hitwizards, and Order members apparated into the Alley all over.

Voldemort realised that his followers were all fleeing, and decided to leave. Before he left, he cast once last spell.

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

Harry's eyes widened in horror as he saw the wand aiming, not at him, but straight at the barely concious redheaded girl at the end of the street.

Without a second thought, he leapt straight into the path of the stream of green light.

* * *

AN

My first real cliffhanger! I know, you're all ready to kill me now, but how am I supposed to write chapter 11 if I'm dead? To answer your inevitable questions, do you think I'd kill off Harry? Particularly this early? I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

I would like to thank each and every one of my reviewers individually, but it would take up all my time when I could be writing chapter 11, so if you're not in the following review responses, it's because I have nothing specific to say to you. Instead, I extend my deepest gratitude for your review of my story.

**Suicidal: **I feel like such a hypocrite. I always hate it when people put too many review responses in their updates, and here I go doing it. Sorry about that, there's nothing I can do to change it really. I will try to keep it shorter in the future. Hope this longer chapter makes up for it!

**bree**and** oreo-darcy: **You are the only two people to actually not like the way I portrayed him, and I thank you for saying so. I appreciate you voicing your opinions, as criticism (constructively of course) is equally as welcome as praise. Now, the way I see it, Dumbledore the way I make him and the opposite Dumbledore both have their canon evidence. However, the way I made him fits with my storyline better, so that's what I'm sticking with. I hope it doesn't put you off the story (this is slightly AU anyway), as Ihope to get more reviewsfrom you both in the future!

**RealityIntrovert: **I loved your review! I just want to say, don't worry about the Slytherins. The oath didn't say ALL, Slytherins, so naturally Harry will interpret it as Draco and his gang :) As for the HG stuff, in this chapter I had Harry realizing that he cares for her, but I'm not going to jump into the relationship right away. It is still quite a few chapters before they get together, and there will be bumps.....It's WAY more fun that way! If they just jump into each other's arms, it's boring. Am I right or am I right?

**everpresent: **Remember, with Flame travelHarry traveling to America every day is no more difficult than Arthur apparating to work every day. Perhaps easier magically, although he'll have to work around his schedule of course. As for Ron and Hermione, I don't think he's really ditching them. He's just waiting for them to grow up and see the world for what it is, instead of blindly following Dumbledore like everyone else. Don't worry though, I'm a sucker for happy endings....

**Tanydwr: **And the people said AMEN! Those are the fics we like! Glad to have a reviewer from Britain. Particularly a like-minded one.I'm 17 in.....5 months. lol. It's funny, most people immediately think of the Silence of the Lambs and etc when they see my name. Shame really, since Hannibal Barca was such a brilliant soldier all those centuries ago. He deserves his notice. Yep, this is one with a sister by the way, and the pairing is HG.

**princess-fictoria: **I'm still not really sure on the four eldest Weasleys. I think given the choice between supporting Harry and Dumbledore, they'd stick with Dumbledore because they all seem to regard Harry as a child. Though they would probably have their doubts about the whole thing. We'll just have to see what happenswon't we?

**captuniv: **The much-awaited confrontation with Dumbledore is coming up next chapter! I'm going to be very careful writing it. I want it to be perfect. Confrontation with Ron and Hermione is still a ways off, but it'll be there.

**highbrass: **I know, I really should make them longer, but I kind of like updating more often instead. I am trying to make every chapter at least 4000 words from now on though (actual story, not author notes)

**SheWho'sNameMustBeHyphanated: **LOVE the name. Sorry, Katherine is an American character.

**LICORN: **I'll put just enough to be interesting, I promise. I hate the fics that go into the training too much, as well, They're boring.

**Yavinbase: **He used magic. Sort of. It was like when Tonks was frozen and couldn't follow him. Releasing it in increments is better for reviews as well.....:)

**john: **On the contrary! I don't think you were harsh at all! I love reading your reviews, they're very interesting and informative, even if I disagree with you on some point or another.


	11. Confrontations

AN

Ha ha! Told you I would be writing fast! I spent most of my free time yesterday writing. O:f course, what with my Karate class, school, and cleaning the house, this wasn't as much as I wanted, but I still got this thing written, even if it took me until 1 in the morning to finish.

I'm a little worried about this chapter, because there are a few things in it I suppose you could call cliche that I had to use. I honestly did try to think of some other way to do it (spent much of the last month doing so actually), but just couldn't come up with anything that would fit my plotline. Hopefully, you'll all enjoy it anyway.

Thanks once again to my (unofficial) co-writer, JC-S, who also reads all the reviews with me and is indignat on my behalf if we get any negative ones. Without him, I'd be lost and alone writing this.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 11

Confrontations

If he hadn't had an anti-animagus jinx on him, Harry would've changed into his Phoenix form before intercepting a Killing Curse with his own body. As it was, he had time only to react, and his first instinct in such a situation was to put the only thing he could between that curse and Ginny - himself.

The curse hit him square in the center of the chest at nearly a hundred miles per hour, while he was in midair. The impact sent him hurling backwards over a dozen yards, where he landed flat on his back, unmoving.

Fred and George, having crept down the side of the building during the fight, were at his side in an instant. Even Voldemort was staring at the downed teenager in shock. It had all happened so fast.

Just as he was going to start crying out in triumph, the Dark Lord saw something that he would have nightmares about for the rest of his life. Harry Potter groaned, and _sat up._

"Bloody hell, that hurt," said the boy bleerily.

Voldemort didn't wait to hear any more. Dumbledore could be there any minute, and he apparently couldn't kill the boy. He disapparated with a tiny _pop_.

Harry, on the other hand, was getting shakily to his feet. His strength, vanished momentarily after the impact of the curse, was starting to return.

As soon as he spotted Ginny laying weakly on the street, he rushed to her side, and knelt down to scoop her tenderly into his arms. She opened her eyes tiredly. "Harry?" she asked, as she wrapped her arms around his neck to steady herself.

"Shh," he soothed. "It's alright, I've got you. You're safe now."

Ginny didn't seem to have the strength to speak anymore, so she just nodded and laid her head on his shoulder as he made his way over the various unconcious (oftentimes gruesomely so) Death Eaters on the ground.

When he reached the entrance to the street, he saw that the Order and the Ministry had almost completely eradicated the Death Eaters. Most of the enemy had fled the moment the wards came down, but a few unlucky ones had stayed and been caught by the sudden onslaught of reinforcements for the Diagon Alley defenders.

He spotted Dumbledore making his way towards him, and gave him a significant glance. One that said, 'I'm leaving now.' He then vanished with a loud _crack!_

The twins, who had watched the entire scene in awe, turned to each other, communicating in that strange way that only twins can. They were both thinking the same thing. First two magical animagus forms, then beating up the Dark Lord with his hands and feet, then surviving a Killing Curse, and now double apparition. What would Harry do next?

They grinned. With Harry on the job, things were looking up for their side of the War.

* * *

Harry reappeared once more in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. The one thing he did like about apparition was that he always managed to land on his feet as opposed to on his face like with portkeys and floo powder.

The house was deserted, except for Madame Pomfrey, who was obviously standing by for injuries. She happened to be in the kitchen when Harry arrived, and would've started berating him for apparating underage if she hadn't spotted Ginny resting in his arms.

She immediately went into nurse mode. "What happened?"

"Cruciatus. I don't know how many times." That was enough for Pomfrey.

"Get her upstairs, quickly."

Harry disappeared with another loud _crack!_

Madame Pomfrey found him a moment later in one of the larger bedrooms she'd set aside for injured Order members. He had laid the girl, who by now had completely lost conciousness, gently on the bed.

He watched as the expert nurse bustled around the bed, waving her wand over Ginny and pouring several potions down her throat. "Will she be alright?" he asked anxiously.

Madame Pomfrey started to yell at him to get out, but when she saw the lost, scared look in those momentarily unguarded green eyes, she changed her mind. "Yes, she'll be fine," she said gently. "She'll be tired and sore for a few days, but there is no permanent damage. Now go on downstairs and let me work, but come and get me if anyone else comes in injured."

With a last look at the youngest Weasley, Harry complied, relieved for the moment.

He arrived once more in the kitchen to chaos. It looked like most of the Order had all come back to Headquarters at once, including all the Weasleys except for Charlie and Percy.

Everyone was talking at once, some wanting to know how Voldemort could have surprised them with this attack, others wanting to know how he got so many followers without them knowing. It looked like most everyone was glaring at Snape, thinking that he should have somehow given them some warning of all this. The Weasleys were all loudly demanding to know what had happened to Ginny, and Remus was demanding the same of him. Even Dumbledore couldn't seem to calm them all down.

Harry was not in the mood for this right now. He'd just fought the Dark Lord, survived a Killing Curse, and double apparated twice. He was tired, and that was making him feel more than just a little cranky, so he roared at the top of his lungs from the doorway, "SHUT UP!"

Everyone quieted to stare at him. "_Thank_ you," he said. He glanced at the assembled Weasleys. "Ginny is fine. Madame Pomfrey took care of her, and she's resting. You can go see her in a minute."

The Weasleys all relaxed slightly, though they were still a little worried by the fact that Madame Pomfrey had had to 'take care of her.'

Dumbledore stood up. "Very well. Thank you, Harry. I suggest everyone sit down. We need to discuss what has happened today."

Molly coughed and looked significantly at both Harry and Ron.

"Ah yes," said Dumbledore. "Ronald, Harry, would you two mind waiting outside?"

Harry resisted the urge to bang his head on the wall behind him in frustration.

:He just won't ever learn, will he?:

-No, I don't think he will.-

It was a good thing he didn't bang his head. A headache now to add to his list of things making him grumpy wouldn't have been very helpful. "No, professor, I don't think I will. I'm sitting in on this meeting," he snapped.

Dumbledore frowned. "Come now, Harry, you're not-"

"Old enough?" Harry asked. "A member of the Order? I don't want to hear it, professor. With all due respect, which I don't think is a lot by the way, I am the one who told you this attack was happening in the first place. I am also the only one present who knows _why_ Voldemort attacked today, and the sole reason that he did not succeed, nearly getting myself killed in the process yet again, so you'll forgive me if I don't just wait outside like a good little boy, while the grown-ups take care of things."

Almost everyone in the room was gaping at him in astonishment. No one had ever talked to the headmaster that way before.

Dumbledore did not look pleased, and the twinkle usually found in his eyes had vanished. However, he apparently decided to allow Harry to stay. "Very well, Harry. Sit down please, and tell us what you know. Mr. Weasley, if you would-"

"Ron stays," said Harry coldly. "This concerns his family."

His tone brooked no argument, and no one tried to dissuade him, not even Molly, though it looked like she wanted to.

When they were all seated, Dumbledore having expanded the table and many members having conjured themselves chairs, Harry began.

"I suspect that most of you know that I get pains in my scar when Voldemort is near me, or feeling exceptionally strong emotions." A collective shudder went around the table at the Dark Lord's name, and then several nods in answer to his comment. He continued. "What most of you don't know is that he can send me visions if he concentrates very hard on one thing. That's why I thought Sirius was in trouble back in June.

"Over the last several weeks, the connection between us has grown stronger, despite my best efforts. Last night, when I was feeling weak after some....exercise, he managed to break into my mind and rifle through some of my memories. He saw something that convinced him that going after Ginny would be the best way to draw me out once again. I threw him out after that, but it was too late. Ginny wrote me about the trip to Diagon Alley today, so he must've seen that in my mind, because he attacked immediately.

"Most likely that is why Professor Snape was unaware of the attack. After awakening, I immediately came here to warn you all, and then to the Alley to see if I couldn't stop him. I faced him again, and we reached a sort of stalemate. Then I brought Ginny here. If you want a firsthand account of my fight with him, you'll have to ask Fred and George. I don't want to tell it."

Everyone sat in silence for a moment as they digested the large amount of strange information delivered to them. Then they turned to the twins.

"We were fighting a few Death Eater's outide our shop," said George.

"When Harry came running up to us saying something about Ginny being in danger," continued Fred

"We followed him for a ways, when he said that we were taking too long and to grab onto his tail feathers."

"He turned into a phoenix, and we grabbed on while he flew around looking for Ginny."

"We found her trapped by several Death Eaters in a side street, it looked like they were torturing her with the Cruciatus."

Both young men's faces grew hard when they reached this point, something that looked very out of place on their ordinarily cheerful countenances.

Fred picked it up again, "Then you-know-who came marching down the street towards her."

Molly gasped and clutched Arthur's arm tightly. "That was exactly our reaction, mum," said George. "Harry though, he just told us to take out the Death Eaters while he took you-know-who."

"He jumped off the building," supplied Fred, "and turned into a huge dragon. He landed in front of you-know-who and swatted him like a fly."

Both of them grinned at Harry, who chuckled.

"After a minute," said George, "he figured out that Harry was an animagus, and put some sort of spell on him that force him back into human form."

"Then they taunted each other, and Harry used some sort of muggle fighting to disarm him, and drop him to the ground."

"He went for you-know-who's wand, but you-know-who summoned it Wandlessly, and then threw a Killing Curse at Ginny."

Everyone gasped, and Harry smiled inwardly.

-The twins look like they're enjoying this way too much- he said

:Yeah:

Fred was speaking again. "Harry jumped right in front of the curse."

Another gasp, and Fred and George were grinning widely. "It hit him right in the chest, and he went flying. Then he just got up and said 'bloody hell, that hurt.' "

Everyone looked at Harry, who rolled his eyes. "No, I don't have any idea why that happened. After that, Voldemort left, and I brought Ginny here. I'm sure there are questions, so I'll answer them all at once. Yes, I am really an animagus, with three forms actually. Phoenix, Rattlesnake, and Dragon. I used my phoenix form to get past the anti-apparition wards on the Alley, and my mental shields are now strong enough to block Voldemort out completely. Any others?"

No one said anything. They were too busy staring at him. "No? Very well then, the next thing we need to talk about is where Ginny will be staying. She is now number 1 on Voldemort's hitlist after me, and he'll stop at nothing to capture or kill her now."

Molly burst into tears, and Arthur put his arm around her as his other hand gripped the table in front of him until his knuckles turned white.

"There's only one place safe enough for her. Even Grimmauld Place is too dangerous. Until we go back to Hogwarts she'll have to stay at Privet Drive. Next to Hogwarts, it's the one place in the world he can't get to."

He looked straight at Dumbledore as he said this, and the old man knew he was right. Before Arthur and Molly could make any objections, he said, "He's right, Arthur, Molly. There is no safer place on the planet after Hogwarts. The wards there are the most extensive I have ever put up. She has to go there."

The eldest Weasleys looked very reluctant to let their only daughter out of their sight, but advice from Dumbledore was not taken lightly. They agreed.

Ron, on the other hand, was shooting Harry suspicious looks.

Harry was still looking at Dumbledore, though he saw it out of the corner of his eye. "How are the casualty reports from the attack?" he asked.

Dumbledore sighed, and for a moment looked far older than he usually did. "Over 30 civilians dead, along with 2 Hitwizards and 11 Death Eaters. We captured a further 19 Death Eaters, but the rest escaped. St. Mungo's is currently overflowing with the injured from the attack. I'm sure Poppy will have to head over there to help as soon as she's done with Miss Weasley."

Harry's mouth drew into a thin line. It was bad, but it would've been worse if the Order hadn't been notified. "Anyone I know?" he asked.

Dumbledore thought about it for a moment. "I don't believe so. No one from your year at school was killed. A few recent graduates, some adults, and small children. Also one or two from the younger years, but no one you know."

Harry didn't know whether or not to feel relieved. After all, someone knew the people that were killed, even if he didn't. He settled for a nod. "I have a request, professor."

"Yes, Harry?" said the aging headmaster apprehensively.

Harry took a deep breath. "I wish to join the Order."

Everyone present started yelling at once. Most of the shouts seemed to be along the lines of objecting to having one so young join, though Mad-Eye and Remus were doing a good job of demanding he be let in.

Dumbledore said nothing, but waited for the arguments to die down. They didn't, so he shot a look at Harry, who once again shouted, "SHUT UP!"

Silence fell over the room.

Dumbledore's gaze remained on his raven-haired student. "Harry, come now, you're-"

"Too young?" Harry interrupted. "Too inexperienced? Still in school? Which is it, or is it a combination of all three?"

Most of the Order members looked as though all three fit the description. Dumbledore, however, looked worried. Harry was showing a lot of anger and bitterness towards him at the moment.

"Well, yes Harry," said Molly, no longer able to keep quiet. "You are. Leave the fight to the adults."

"This is my fight, Mrs. Weasley. You can't keep me out of it any longer."

"Harry," said Tonks. "What are you talking about? I know you have a lot of hate for you-know-who, but it's not your job to beat him. You're just a kid."

Harry glared at Dumbledore. "Tell them," he growled. All heads turned to the headmaster.

"Tell us what, Albus?" asked Arthur. "What's he talking about?"

Dumbledore shot Harry a look that quite plainly said he didn't think that was necessary. Harry returned it with his fiercest glare. Dumbledore finally sighed.

"He is speaking of the prophecy we spent so much of last year protecting. The record of it was, of course, destroyed, but it was originally told to someone. Me, actually. In essence, it states that Harry is the only person on the earth capable of defeating Lord Voldemort.

"However," the old man continued, with a glance in Harry's direction. "I don't believe you are ready yet, Harry. You should at least finish school before you join the Order. Leave the Death Eaters to us."

:Told you he wouldn't go for it.:

Harry sighed and put his head in his hands. "I was afraid you'd say that, professor, but I had to try anyway."

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed. "What exactly do you mean by that?" he asked.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Nothing."

Dumbledore was, naturally, unconvinced, but there was nothing more he could do, short of attempting to force the boy to tell him.

Nothing further of consequence was discussed, and ten minutes later, the meeting dispersed. Dumbledore went off to speak to several of the members privately, informing Harry that he wanted to talk to him privately as well before he left.

Harry, having been thinking along the same lines, just nodded and pulled Arthur and Molly into the empty, unused dining room.

They stood together just inside the door, watching him. He paced for a minute or two before finally stopping to look at them seriously.

"I need to know, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, do you trust me?"

The both blinked in surprise, not having expected that. "Of course we do, Harry," said Molly. "Why do you ask?"

Harry still looked troubled, and perhaps even a little worried. "The truth is, I don't trust my relatives. I have no doubt that they won't like this arrangement at all, and it's going to take a lot of convincing and maybe even threats to even get them to go along with it."

"Come now, Harry, they can't be that bad," said Molly.

Harry looked her straight in the eye. "Three weeks ago, my uncle attempted to punch me." Both of the adults gasped. "I dodged it, and knocked him to the ground, but that's beside the point. I refuse to allow the Dursleys to endanger Ginny in any way, whether it be by refusing to allow her to stay, or otherwise. Therefore, she is going to need to stay in my room so that I can ensure her safety. That's why I want to know, do you trust me? More specifically, do you trust me with your daughter?"

Molly and Arthur looked at each other, communicating silently, as couples who have been married a long time often do.

"I think we do, Harry," said Arthur. "But we need to know, what are your intentions towards our daughter?"

Harry blushed slightly. "Honestly? I don't know. I've just begun to see Ginny as her own person for the first time. Hermione says she's over me, so I can't say for sure that she'd see me _that way_. I don't know what's going to happen, but it may be that someday, I'll want to ask her out. If I did, would that be alright with you, sir?"

Arthur gave him a hard look, causing Harry to fidget nervously, then he grinned widely. "Of course it would, my boy. There's no one I'd rather was with Ginny. We trust you. You're like another son to us." He pretended to glance apprehensively at his wife and added in a stage whisper, "You had better be careful though, Molly's already planning your wedding."

Harry grinned widely, and Molly smacked her husband upside the head.

"Thanks, sir, it means a lot to me. I want you to know, I really appreciate all you've done for me over the last few years. You, all of you, are like the family the Dursleys never were," said Harry softly.

Molly sniffled, and pulled him into a big, motherly hug. For once, Harry hugged her back, holding tightly to the woman who was like the mother he had never had.

"Now," said Harry as he pulled back. "I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is waiting for me. This conversation is not going to be very pleasant either, I don't think. Go see Ginny. I'm sure she's getting restless with Madame Pomfrey forcing her to stay up in that room. I'll be up later."

They both gave him worried looks, but left without another word, and Harry squared his shoulders and headed for the drawing room.

* * *

He found Dumbledore was waiting for him on the old, moth-eaten sofa. The headmaster was looking older than Harry had ever seen him. His eyes were twinkling once more, but only just slightly.

When he spotted Harry, he sat up straighter, and motioned to the armchair across from him. Without a word, Harry crossed to it and sat down.

"Now, Harry," started the aging professor. "We have some things to discuss, I think."

"Yes," replied Harry coldly. "I think we do. Maybe we can start with a few things you should've told me a long time ago, and have not."

Dumbledore frowned. "Such as?"

"Let's start with my ability for Wandless Magic."

Dumbledore's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hair. "What?!" he exclaimed.

Harry rolled his eyes, and silently summoned a cushion from the sofa. "That."

"Harry, I-"

"You what?" Harry asked, his voice icy. "You didn't think I was ready? I wasn't old enough, or emotionally stable enough? When will you learn that keeping things from me does more harm than good? If you had just told me about that bloody prophecy last year, or even looked me in the eye, maybe Sirius would still be alive.

"But why stop there? What about my family's vault? When was I going to be told about that? And my sister? You knew I had a sister, yet you didn't feel I could handle the information. Well, guess what, she's alive. I found a letter from my parents in the vault, and she was sent into hiding with a muggle friend of theirs less than a week before they died. Premature birth, apparently."

Harry then was able to see something very few people in the world could claim to have seen. Albus Dumbledore, gaping like a goldfish.

"That's right," Harry said. "Alive. And if you'd told me about the vault years ago, I would've found her by now. But no, I couldn't be trusted to handle it, could I?

"I am not a child, professor, and I have not been since the end of my fourth year. I would give anything to have my childhood back, but it's not going to happen. I have had to grow up, fast.

"You will not control my life any longer. I am my own person, not your chess pawn. And if you're wondering about my apparition, animagus capabilities, and Wandless Magic......well let's just say I decided that no one controls my destiny but me, and I have started my own training program."

Dumbledore was _very_ worried. Harry was obviously very angry. With someone as powerful as the young man before him, this was a dangerous thing. And now he had started training independantly. Most likely, he was getting help from someone. That was bad. Who could be helping him? He hoped that Hogwarts wasn't about to produce another Tom Riddle, albeit a much more powerful one this time.

"I'm sorry, Harry," he said.

"Sorry doesn't cut it, professor. I want your word that you won't keep things from me _ever_ again. I'm going to face Tom, and I'm going to defeat him, but I'm not going to be a good little boy and wait for the Order to get me to him. I need to be involved in the whole process. I need to know what is going on."

"Very well," said Dumbledore tiredly. "Since I'm supposed to tell you everything, you should know that Sirius-"

"Left me the house and all his money," finished Harry. "Yes, I know. The Order has permission to use this house by the way, as I'm sure you were going to ask in a moment. If that is all, I have to go collect a few books from the library here, and then Ginny and I will have to be on our way."

Dumbledore said nothing, which Harry took as a yes, so he got up to leave. Just before leaving, he remembered something and turned around. "I assume I'll be let off on any charges of magic and apparition since I was defending my own life and that of Ginny?"

"Yes, anyone underage who did any magic today won't be charged, according to the Minister."

"Good."

* * *

Harry spent the next several hours looking through all the books in the rather large library the house contained. Almost everything there was on the Dark Arts, but that didn't stop Harry from selecting well over one hundred titles to read later.

"Know thy enemy," he muttered to himself as he worked.

:Indeed.:

Remus came in for a moment, but had to leave almost immediately. He promised to drop by the next day to talk. Before he left, he took the backpack Harry had conjured and placed the ever-expansion and weightless charms on it so Harry could put all the books in there.

When he was packed up, Harry decided to go up and see if Ginny was allowed to leave yet.

He found the entire Weasley clan that was at Grimmauld Place, in the room visiting with her. Arthur, who was the first to spot Harry, silently motioned for everyone to follow him out.

Each of the Weasleys nodded to Harry as they filed out. Ron, the last, clasped his hand and whispered, "Take care of her, Harry."

"I will," he whispered back. "I'm sorry we didn't have a chance to catch up. I'll talk to you soon, I promise."

Ron appeared satisfied with that, and walked away.

Harry walked into the room slowly. Ginny was sitting cross-legged on the bed, watching him.

"Well, Mr. Potter," she said. "I guess I owe you my life yet again. Thank you."

Harry waved it off. "No problem. It's my fault he went after you anyway. The least I could do was help."

She opened her mouth to ask about that, but Harry held up his hand to stop her. "Later," he said. His gaze flicked to an obviously full suitcase sitting next to the bed. Molly must've gone back to the Burrow to fetch some of Ginny's clothes. "I take it they've told you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Good. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, grab my tail feathers."

The anti-animagus jinx having worn off, they disappeared in a burst of flame, reappearing in Harry's room at Privet Drive.

* * *

That night, the two of them settled down to sleep, completely exhausted by the events of the day. The Dursleys, as predicted, had objected very strongly to having another "freak" in the house. Only the threat of magic (with a small transfiguration demonstration for emphasis) kept them from throwing both Harry and Ginny out on the street.

Vernon was very angry, Harry could tell. It wouldn't be long before they had another row. He only hoped he didn't have to hurt his uncle this time around.

Harry glanced over at the redheaded girl in the bed next to him. Using a special replication spell, Harry had made a copy of his own bed for her to sleep on. It was a tight squeeze in his small room, but he planned to have Remus do a few modifications on the room when he arrived the next day, so that wouldn't be a problem.

Ginny was asleep as he watched her. She had fallen asleep almost immediately, while he lay awake for the last hour or so. Most of that time he had spent watching her.

Her brow suddenly furrowed, and she twisted around a little in her sleep. She grew more and more restless by the second, until she started moaning.

"No, please," he heard her whisper. "Not Harry, Tom. NOOOOO!"

When he heard her scream, he was out of his bed and at her side in an instant, shaking her shoulders. After her experiences in her first year, having Voldemort so near her must have awakened some painful memories.

"Wake up, Ginny," he said. "It's alright."

Her eyes snapped open, and she immediately flung her arms around Harry, burying her head in his shoulder and sobbing uncontrollably.

Harry just held her tightly, waiting for her to calm down.

It took several long minutes, but her sobs finally did die down to sniffles. Harry rubbed small circles on her back. "Shh, it's alright," he whispered. His t-shirt and her nightgown were both soaked with her tears.

She pulled back slightly and looked at him with bright, scared brown eyes. "Please don't leave me," she begged. "I don't want to be alone."

Harry's heart broke as he stared into her eyes. He instantly hated the scared look he found there, and found himself wanting to make sure he never had to see it again. It didn't look right on her face. This wasn't the Ginny Weasley he had come to know over the last year. The Ginny Weasley he knew was strong and brave, capable of facing down any of her brothers or any Death Eater. Anger towards the man who had done this to her welled up inside him, but he pushed it back down. He'd take care of Voldemort later.

He said nothing, but climbed into the bed next to her. She clung tightly to him for a while, still shaking slightly from her nightmare. He stroked her hair soothingly, whispering softly into her ear that it would be alright. That he wasn't going anywhere.

Eventually, she relaxed, and the steady rise and fall of her chest let him know she had drifted off. Satisfied that she would be alright, he finally allowed himself to do the same. The last thought that went through his mind before sleep took him was, 'Someday, you're going to regret having done this to her, Tom, I swear it.'

* * *

AN 

Whew! That was long wasn't it? I didn't intend for it to be that way, but it just seemed to keep right on going as I wrote. I'm sure no one will be complaining though.

Let me know your thoughts on this chapter please, particularly the fact that Ginny is staying with Harry at Privet Drive. I'm fairly certain it has been used several times before, though I cannot recall any specific instances off the top of my head. I really wanted to do something a little more creative, but there just didn't seem to be anything that worked. Voldemort being after Ginny is a huge part of the plotline, so I had to add that in, and Privet Drive really is the only safe place for Voldemort's enemies (after Hogwarts of course), so that's where she had to go. I also need them to spend a little time together of course....

I hope you all liked the confrontation with Dumbledore. I'm not sure I'm happy with it, but this is only really the first time that he's going to confront the headmaster, so there will be more clashes in the future.

Thanks once more to all my reviewers! I'd thank you individually, but then when would I write the next chapter? If you're not mentioned in the following review responses, it's because I have nothing specific to say to you. I want you to know that you have my deepest, heartfelt gratitude for reviewing my story though.

**john: **Yep, Voldemort knows he has a sister. He found out about her and Ginny at the same time

**Darak:** An explanation for why he didn't enter Voldemort's mind is in a future chapter. He didn't turn into a Dragon again because Voldemort put an anti-animagus jinx on him. He went for the wand because, remember, he doesn't know how to kill the Dark Lord yet, so he thought if he snapped the wand in half, it would at least render Tom partially helpless for a while.

**RealityIntrovert: **applause I agree totally and wholeheartedly. While my story has been cliche in some aspects, I am going to try my hardest to keep it original and as realistic as possible when it comes to the HG stuff. Unfortunately, I have never fallen in love, so I can't write it from firsthand experience. That won't stop me from trying my hardest though!

**Angered Thoughts: **An interesting idea, but I don't think it's really possible. They can speak indirectly through Harry, of course, but direct speaking won't work since Sirius is in Harry's head, not Remus'

**DragonBard: **Interesting point. While I still think it's a matter of power to use magic without a magical focus such as a wand, I can see your where you're coming from on this. I sincerely wish I could make my story fit every single reader's wish, but since I can't, I must be happy with doing the best I can to write it the way I think is correct.

**WOW:** I'm curious. What would you consider to be adult emotions? Further, are you now, or have you ever been, a 16-year-old guy? If not, please refrain from telling me how a 16-year-old guy thinks, as I am one. As far as I know, all humans, regardless of age, can feel the same emotions (minusing perhaps lust and that sort of thing, but I won't go into that). It is how we express those emotions, and what triggers them in the first place, that sets us apart.

**sorry: **Thank you for being honest with me. I respect your opinion and toa small extent, I do agree that much of my story involves things that have been used before. Remember, this is my first attempt at fan fiction, and I'm coming in "late in the game," so to speak, so there aren't a lot of ideas for a semi-normal post-OotP fic left. I do have at least two ideas for very original fics that I plan on writing after I finish this story though. This one is more of a trial run of my writing style so I get some feedback on things like my plot and way of writing. I'vebeen pleasantly surprised by so many positive reviews so far.

**Silver Warrior: **It is isn't it? gasp what if Voldemort knew Harry would dodge it if he threw it at him, so he threw it at Ginny so that Harry would jump in the way? Or perhaps he just wanted to hurt Harry by hurting Ginny. Will we ever know the inner workings of the mind of that murderous raving lunatic? Probably not.


	12. Fight Like a Muggle

AN

Chapter 12 has arrived! Here we see Harry and Ginny spend a little time together. This chapter is dedicated to RealityIntrovert, who's feedback in the matter of them getting to know each other has been invaluable regarding my decision on how much of that to write into the story. You'll notice I made Ginny a human being in this chapter (jealousy). Hope you like it!

Many thanks go to my (almost official) co-writer, JC-S, and my new beta, Yavinbase. They spotted multitudes of mistakes in this chapter that I would've missed.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 12

Fight Like a Muggle

When Ginny awoke early the next morning, she found she couldn't see anything, for her face was pressed into Harry's chest. Fortunately for her composure, he was wearing a shirt, but it was still slightly embarrassing.

The events of the previous night returned to her, and she nearly moaned aloud in despair. Just when Harry had finally begun to see her as more than just the little sister of his best friend, she had to go and act like a little girl that ran into her parents' room when she heard thunder.

She lifted her face from his chest and found, to her surprise, that he was already awake, watching her.

"Well good morning, sleeping beauty," he said amusedly.

Ginny stared at him. Had he just.....

Harry blushed as he saw her confusion, and realized what he had said. "Sorry," he muttered, "Muggle thing."

Ginny's heart sank. She silently berated herself for thinking anything else of what he said.

An awkward silence fell for a few minutes, until Ginny finally asked what time it was. Harry glanced at his clock. "Half past nine," he said.

Ginny's eyes widened. "Why didn't you wake me up?" she asked.

Harry shrugged. "I thought you could use the rest. Besides, you're really peaceful when you're asleep. I didn't have the heart to wake you."

Typical Harry. Too bloody noble to even wake someone up when they're on his chest. He probably would've lain there all day if she hadn't woken up. Suddenly, she realized that she was still lying practically on top of him, with her arms pressed against his side. Blushing furiously, she scrambled out of the bed and grabbed a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt out of her suitcase.

"I-I'll just go get changed then," she stammered.

"Alright," he said as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. "If anyone bothers you, just yell."

She disappeared down the hall towards the bathroom, and Harry set about getting changed for the day himself.

When Ginny returned, she stood in the doorway for a moment. Harry was moving about the room, trying to put a few things away. She took the opportunity to just study him candidly.

Merlin, why did he have to look so good? It just made it that much harder loving him so much. His shirt (one he'd bought himself most likely, since it actually fit him) showed off his well-defined chest and stomach muscles, and his skin appeared to be tanned from hours spent in the sun, probably in that park he told her about. Then there was his hair. Finally, he had found the answer to it being stuck up in all directions. Make it look like he wanted it to look that way. It was cut very short and spiked straight up, rather like Tonks actually.

Of course, it was a lot more attractive on Harry.

Then there was his earring. The small, gold circlet reminded her strongly of a high-seas pirate from a muggle picture book her father had brought home when she was small. Overall, his new look gave him a rather roguish and perhaps rebellious air. All he needed now was a tattoo.

He turned around and spotted her, and his eyes lit up as he grinned at her. More than all the rest, that was what she loved most about his appearance. His eyes. She felt as if she could get lost in those brilliant, emerald green orbs. It was there, in his eyes, that Harry's guard was let down. He kept the rest of himself carefully distant and emotionless, but in his eyes, you could see the truth.

And now, without his glasses for them to hide behind, she loved those eyes even more. She held back a sob, and her eyes grew bright. It was so hard.

"What's wrong?"

She looked up at the sound of Harry's voice. He was standing in front of her, a concerned expression on his face. Damn him, why did he have to be so wonderful and caring? Why couldn't he be an evil git like Malfoy so that she could just hate him? She shook that thought away. She didn't really want to hate Harry.

"Nothing, I'm fine," she said, not really wanting to talk about what was bothering her with anyone, least of all Harry.

He seemed to sense this, most likely because he often felt the same way, and said nothing more about it.

"Alright, let's go get some breakfast then," he said instead.

Ginny rolled her eyes. Trust a guy to think with his stomach. She followed him down the stairs cautiously, still rather wary of the Dursleys. Her first meeting with them the day before had not been very pleasant. Petunia had looked like she was scared of her, but Vernon seemed to be resisting the urge to murder her and throw her body in the river. The worst, though, was Dudley. The look he gave her made her think she was some sort of piece of meat. It sent a shiver down her spine and had her involuntarily moving so that Harry was between her and the whale of a boy.

They entered the empty kitchen, and Harry set about making breakfast for the both of them. Ginny watched in amazement as he expertly toasted the bread, scrambled the eggs, and fried the bacon all at once.

"I didn't know you could cook," she said.

Harry shrugged. "I've had to cook for that lot," he jerked his head towards the living room, where the Dursleys were watching television, "ever since I was five. Breakfast is my specialty, but I can make a few other things, too."

A moment later, he set a plate piled high with food in front of where she was sitting, then set an identical plate in front of the chair next to her. "Tea? Orange Juice? Milk?" he asked.

Ginny grinned. "I guess they wouldn't have Pumpkin Juice in this house would they?" Harry shook his head amusedly. "Then tea, please," she added.

The rest of the meal was filled with lighthearted conversation. Harry asked her dozens of questions about her childhood with her brothers, which she was all too happy to answer. Before long, Harry had loads of blackmailing material on each one except for Bill.

As they cleaned up after themselves, he asked why she didn't tell him anything embarrassing about the eldest Weasley child.

She looked down for a moment before she replied. "Bill and I were always really close, ever since I was four." Her face was hard for a moment, but then it disappeared so quickly Harry wasn't sure he hadn't imagined it. She continued, "I tell him all my secrets, and he's always told me all of his. We never tell on each other. To anyone."

Understanding dawned in his eyes. "That's why you all went to visit him in Egypt after your first year, isn't it?"

Ginny nodded. "Bill was always there for me. I don't know if I would have made it through second year if it hadn't been for the talks I had with him then, and the letters we exchanged for the rest of the year."

Harry decided they'd had enough of that subject, so he said, "C'mon, let's get some shoes on. We've got some work to do in the park."

Ginny looked at him warily. He had a mischievous look in his eyes that reminded her far too much of Fred and George for her liking.

"What kind of work?" she asked.

He winked. "I'm going to teach you how to fight like a muggle."

Harry glanced at Ginny as they walked towards the park a few minutes later. Something was bothering her, he could tell. She kept fidgeting nervously, as though she wanted to say something but couldn't work up the courage to do so.

"What is it?" he finally asked.

Ginny gave a start. She looked at him a little worriedly. "It's just...." she trailed off. "Last night." She finally blurted out. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to stay."

Harry waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I was just happy to help. I suppose I know better than most what it's like to have nightmares."

He looked at the ground as they kept walking. "I've always had nightmares, ever since I can remember. When I was younger, they always seemed to be about a lot of green light. I didn't know what that meant at the time, but it was still very scary for a small child. I remember I had a hard time looking myself in the mirror for a long time, because my eyes always reminded me of my nightmares."

His eyes showed the pain those memories caused him. On impulse, Ginny reached out and took his hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

:Good one, kiddo. Distract her with stories of your own nightmares so she isn't embarrassed:

Harry silently agreed with his godfather. For reasons he couldn't quite explain, he wanted to share everything about himself with Ginny. He didn't feel embarrassed about telling her about his childhood, and it had the excellent bonus of making Ginny forget her embarrassment concerning the previous night.

Ginny relaxed her grip, but Harry did not. They walked the rest of the way to the park silently, hand in hand, causing Ginny to stare at Harry in confusion.

When they got there, they found the same two girls from two days before sitting on the bench. They both giggled when they saw Harry, and their eyes shot daggers at Ginny when they noticed their joined hands. Ginny matched them look for look, and Harry pretended to be oblivious.

He led Ginny to the open spot near his favorite tree, then let go of her hand and turned to face her.

Ginny stared at her hand, feeling an annoying sense of loss that she tried desperately to squash. She looked up when Harry asked, "How much did they tell you about why you're here?"

She frowned. "Not much. Just that T-Tom is after me because he thinks he can get to you."

Harry blinked. He'd never heard her call Voldemort Tom before. It was probably good that she was, though. Maybe it would help her nightmares to work through it. It seemed like she had just buried her feelings for the last three years. Calling the Dark Lord by his real name seemed like a step in the right direction.

Aloud he said, "Yes, that's pretty much true. He managed to break into my mind the other night, and he went searching through a few of my memories. He saw some things that convinced him you'd be the one I was most likely to come after."

Ginny's brow furrowed in confusion. What could possibly convince him of that? Sure Harry would come after her. Hell, he'd probably come to save Snape if the Dark Lord threatened to kill him - that was just the way Harry was. What had convinced the old snake that she was the one Harry would be most likely to come after?

"What memories did he see?" she asked.

Harry blushed. He didn't want to tell her about this, not yet at any rate. He knew he cared for her, but could it be more than that? He didn't know. He hadn't even really had a chance to get to know her that well; he needed to spend some time with her. And he still wasn't sure how _she_ felt about _him_ anyway.

"Um...er...he...er...saw the Chamber incident." he lied.

Ginny nodded, apparently satisfied with that answer. After all, Harry had risked his life to save her back then, even though he hardly knew her.

"Did I ever thank you for that?" she asked.

"You don't have to-" Harry started to say, but Ginny interrupted him.

"I know I don't have to, you bloody idiot," she said. "Is it so bad that I want to thank you for saving my life?"

It was amazing. She could thank him for saving her life and yet make him feel really low at the same time. 'Have to find out how she does that,' he thought. Roaring laughter came from Sirius in the back of his mind.

"And the same goes for yesterday," she continued, though he was still pinned by her fierce glare. "Thank you," she said more quietly, and her gaze softened. Then, surprising both herself and Harry with her daring, she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.

Sirius cheered.

Both of their faces were burning when she pulled back. Ginny tried desperately to regain her composure and fight down the redness in her face by asking, "So what's this about fighting like a muggle?"

Harry grinned in that way that sent warning bells off in her head again. "Well, Miss Weasley, I mean fighting with your hands and fists. You never know when you may lose your wand."

Ginny almost jumped up and down in excitement. This would be fun; she could even threaten Ron if he started pulling the overprotective act.

Harry watched her growing excited in amusement. She wouldn't be feeling that way once she found out what sort of grueling routine this was going to be.

"Fred and George taught me how to punch already," she said.

"Will you show me?" he asked.

In answer, she pulled back her fist, as though she was going to knock his lights out.

"Whoa, whoa!" he cried, causing her to falter. "You can't punch like that! You might as well say 'Hey, I'm going to punch you. Be sure and move out of the way!' "

She crossed her arms and glared at him for daring to criticize her punch, but he just moved beside her and pretended not to notice.

"If you use your arm to power your punch," he said. "You _only_ use your arms and it's slow. The real power behind punching lies in using your hips to drive it, because your body stores a lot of its energy in your hips."

"My _what_, exactly?" she asked.

Harry blushed, and concentrated on keeping his eyes aimed at her head and nowhere lower. "Your, um....your hips...." he trailed off. "Oh sod it. Here, like this." He demonstrated by taking a step forward and simultaneously snapping a punch from his side, using his hips to drive it towards the chest of an unseen enemy, then retracting it once it had reached full extension.

Ginny gulped. Harry's speed was incredible, and it certainly looked like that punch would've done a lot more damage than anything Fred and George had taught her.

"Alright then, you've made your point. Hips are the key to power."

Harry gave her a smug look. "That's right, and I'm the teacher; so don't forget it or else."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes, oh great and powerful teacher. Please, impart to me your wisdom."

"Patience, grasshopper," he said sagely. Upon seeing her blank look, he added, "Uh, sorry. Another muggle thing."

Ginny just shook her head. Muggles, and consequently sometimes Harry, were an odd bunch.

"Well," said Harry brightly. "Let's get back to it shall we?"

* * *

They took a break for lunch in mid-afternoon. Ginny sank gratefully into the seat across from Harry in the small diner they'd walked to.

Harry laughed. "Tired?" he asked cheekily.

Ginny did not answer, but if looks could kill, Voldemort would never have had to worry about Harry Potter again.

Harry, apparently sensing that it was in his best interest to shut up, ceased teasing her and buried his head in the menu. "Order whatever you like," he said from behind it.

"Harry!" sounded a feminine voice nearby.

Harry's head came up from the menu and he smiled at the teenage girl in the waitress uniform standing next to their booth. She looked to be a couple of years older than Ginny, and had long brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Marie!" he cried happily. "In on a Saturday?"

"Yep, trying to make a little extra before term starts, you know," she replied. She shook her finger at him. "You never came in yesterday; I wondered where you'd got off to."

"Ah yes, sorry about that. I had business to attend to in London, I'm afraid." He motioned to Ginny with his hand. "This is Ginny Weasley, a friend of mine."

Marie's smile dropped when she turned to Ginny, and she gave a brief, curt nod to her before returning her attention to Harry. "Are you ready to order?" she asked sweetly.

"Um...sure. Fish and chips and a cola for me, and whatever Ginny wants."

Ginny glanced down at her menu, unsure of what she was supposed to do exactly. She decided to take the easy way out. "I'll have the same."

Marie scribbled on a small notepad as they ordered and then with a last smile for Harry and a dark look at Ginny, she disappeared into the kitchen.

Ginny watched her go. "Come here often?" she asked Harry.

Harry started slightly from where he'd been looking intently out the window. "Wha- oh, yeah. Pretty much every day I suppose, why do you ask?"

Ginny jerked her head in the general direction of the kitchen. "She seemed pretty friendly with you."

Harry looked where she'd indicated. "Who? Marie? Yeah, I suppose so. She's in here on Fridays and. . ." his eyes screwed up in thought. ". . .Mondays I think. Saturdays must be a new thing. Tuesdays through Thursdays I get Mrs. Mackenzie. Saturdays and Sundays were always Jose." He squinted around the restaurant for a moment. "There," he said, pointing to the back.

Ginny twisted around in her seat to see another teenage waiter, this one a guy, taking an elderly couple's order. He appeared to have black hair and rather bronzed skin - Spanish ancestry of some sort most likely, if the name was any indication. As she watched, he turned around and spotted them. He grinned and headed straight for their table.

"Hey there, Harry!" he said when he'd reached their table. "Hope you don't mind, Marie specifically asked to serve your table." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Harry rolled his eyes. Jose then turned to Ginny. "Well, what have we here? Who might this be, Harry? You've never brought a girl in with you before, let alone one as pretty as this."

Ginny blushed, and Harry roared with laughter. "Always the charmer, aren't you Jose? This is Ginny Weasley. You might want to watch it though; she's got six older brothers, all bigger than you."

Jose blanched, but he shook Ginny's hand anyway. "Pleased to meet you, Ginny. I am Jose Gonzales."

Ginny, still embarrassed (and more than a little angry at the mere thought of her brothers' overprotectiveness) just smiled.

"Well, I have to put a few orders in. I'll see you around." With that, he headed for the kitchen.

Harry shook his head at the young man's retreating back. "He's a bit of a ladies' man, that Jose," he said. "He flirts with all the girls that come in here. He never does more than get their phone numbers though. He's got his sights set on Marie, but she won't give him the time of day." He shook his head again. "I think he thinks he can make her jealous."

Ginny chuckled with him, before she spotted something peeking out from under the sleeve of Harry's shirt. She pointed to it. "What's that?"

Harry looked at his own arm. "Oh, that's Sirius' fault. He made me get a tattoo." He pulled up his sleeve to reveal a crimson dragon with its claws extended and it's mouth spouting, oddly enough, emerald green flames.

"I wanted to get a black one, like my animagus form, but he said this one looked better."

"I like it," Ginny said. "I think Sirius is right, this one looks great."

"Well that makes one of us," Harry muttered, though his blush showed how pleased he really was.

* * *

Ginny watched for the rest of the meal as Marie made periodic visits to their table, often openly flirting with Harry. Harry, for his part, did not flirt back, but that didn't stop Marie from trying. By the time they were ready to leave, Ginny was feeling both annoyed and depressed.

After a brief argument over paying for the meal, which Harry won, they started on their way back to Privet Drive to meet Remus.

Ginny hung her head as they walked, thinking back to Marie. The entire incident had done murder on her self-esteem. She had never seen herself as a very pretty girl. Her freckles and red hair seemed to be a permanent curse, and even though she was nearly fifteen, she seemed destined to retain the figure of a 10-year-old _boy. _Sure, Jose had called her pretty, but he was just trying to make the pretty waitress jealous. He didn't really mean it.

Now, though, after seeing perfect, curvy Marie, she felt more horribly plain than ever before. No wonder Harry had never seen her that way, when he had girls like Marie throwing themselves at his feet all the time.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"Nothing!" she snapped, before she could stop herself. She immediately regretted it when Harry shrunk back slightly, hurt. "I'm sorry, Harry. I'm just a little frustrated right now."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked warily.

She sighed. "No, not really."

He nodded. "Alright. I'm here if you ever need to talk about anything, though."

Ginny, used to her mother insisting that she tell her what was bothering her immediately, was pleasantly surprised by his quick acceptance of her unwillingness to talk.

She really needed to control her temper. He had only been trying to help, after all. And now he was watching her warily as they walked, as though he expected her to blow up at him again.

She wished he'd hold her hand again, like he had that morning. He didn't though, and a few minutes later, they reached Privet Drive.

* * *

AN

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Please Review!

Just a let-know, when I'm feeling blocked up with this story, I write another fic that I haven't named. It helps me work of some steam with this one. I'm going to release the first chapter of that one sometime in the next week, I think, but don't worry, this one is still my main priority. Those of you who are looking for originality may like that other one better.

Thanks once more to all my reviewers! I'd thank you individually, but then when would I write the next chapter? If you're not mentioned in the following review responses, it's because I have nothing specific to say to you. I want you to know that you have my deepest, heartfelt gratitude for reviewing my story though.

**CRose: **Less italics huh? I'll keep that in mind, though I don't think it'll present much of a problem since I only use it in dreams and letters, and there isn't much more of that coming up.

**john: **thanks! I didn't want to put any more arguments into the chapter than were already there, so that's why I skipped over the Dursley part. But I'm certain there will be more arguments with Vernon in the future to make up for it!

**JLHERC: **Put it in this chapter, just for you. Hope you like it! More later perhaps from others.....with a little more shock perhaps.

**George: **While I did ask for opinions, I had hoped they would be phrased politely. Calling mystory crap is not good feedback. It's just rude.

**B-A-HPlova22: **Believe it or not, I actually checked out your story back when it first came out. I remember because it was published only one day after mine. I can't remember much about it though, I'll have to check it out again. I'm going to have a more original story out soon! Can't wait.

**athenakitty:** Dursleys? Behave? That'll be the day. I don't think even the Weasley twins pull pranks in Order meetings, though Snape might've ended up with pink hair or something at one point...

**Nutty Al: **I don't plan on writing any "shagging" into this fic, I'm afraid. Perhaps if it continues long enough that they get married I may allude to it casually, but nothing more.

**everpresent: **When I drafted my original outline for this fic, it was more than a one-time thing. However, I then found a fantastic fic (The Power of Emotion, by Melindaleo) of which this was a big part (and quite brilliantly so I might add). I decided to only include it once, in rememberence of my original idea, and no more. I hope that satisfies all you who didn't like the idea (no sarcasm intended). Good guess about the stone. You're right, but not in the way you might think. More about that in chapter 13.

**RealityIntrovert: **Indeed. Most of what I write about their little romance will come from what I have read (myself being an extremely avid reader). While this isn't the greatest source for this sort of thing, it can be somewhat helpful. Look for a more original fic from me soon. I'm thinking of calling it "Stockholm Syndrome"

**bree: **I can't promise they won't get married and have kids, but I will promise that it won't be because they had sex and Ginny got pregnant while they were still in school. Remember, I said this story will cover many years instead of just one, so they'll be adults by the time I am finished.

**Treck: **I felt that another argument (this time with Snape) was out of place in the last chapter, so I just decided to save it for a later chapter. Snape only didn't say anything because he was rather shocked. Don't worry though, that little confrontation is on the way, probably in the next few chapters.

**HermioneGreen:** They won't be going to Hogwarts. Most likely they'll stay at Privet Drive.


	13. Visitors

AN

Chapter 13, in which Remus finally starts to become an important character, Snape and Harry clash, and we get our first word back from the detectives searching for Katherine. I hope you all enjoy it, as once more, I'm just not quite happy with it. Probably because I've never had areal crush before and I have no idea how to write Harry or Ginny's POVs on that. I'm flying blind as it is.

Many thanks once more to JC-S and Yavinbase, who spot things I can't believe I missed. Without them, I'd be in much worse shape.

Hope you all take the time to check out my other, more originalstory, Stockholm Syndrome, of which the next chapter will be up sometime in the next few days.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 13

Visitors

Remus was waiting for them when they reached the room. Harry surprised both of his guests by immediately pulling his old teacher into a brotherly embrace. When they pulled apart, Remus' eyes were suspiciously bright, and he had to blink rapidly for some reason.

"It's good to see you again, Moony," said Harry.

"You too, Harry," he replied. He glanced at Ginny. "And you, Ginny. I hope you're keeping Harry here in line?"

She smirked. "Of course."

Remus looked around the room and grimaced. "Bit cramped in here."

Harry nodded. "D'you think you could...."

Remus waved his wand a few times and the room morphed dramatically. It expanded to nearly three times the original size, giving them all some breathing room. The beds shifted to opposite corners, and grew into large four-posters reminiscent of the ones found in Gryffindor Tower, scarlet hangings and all. The walls changed from plain, boring white to red and gold, and all Dudley's broken belongings disappeared.

Harry was impressed. "Not bad, Moony. I had no idea you could do something like that."

Remus flushed. "I helped your mum decorate your house," he said quietly.

"Oh." There wasn't anything more to say.

They stood there in awkward silence for a few minutes until Remus decided it was time to get down to business. He conjured a couple of cushioned, wooden chairs and motioned for Harry and Ginny to sit down.

"Harry, before Sirius died, he-" Remus started to say, but Harry cut him off.

"I know all about the plans Padfoot started to put into effect over the last two years, Moony. He told me himself."

Remus blinked. "When?"

Harry smirked. "A little over a month ago."

Remus leaned forward and put his hand on Harry's forehead. "Are you alright, Harry?" he asked. "You know Sirius is dead, and has been for much longer than a month."

Harry's smirk now rivaled Malfoy at his most smug. "Yes, I know that, Moony."

"And yet you say he talked to you since then?"

"Yes."

Remus shook his head, bewildered. "I think you've lost it," he said.

Ginny finally decided to intervene. She smacked Harry on the back of the head. . . hard. "Just tell him, you git."

Harry gave her a glare and rubbed the spot where she'd hit him. "Spoilsport," he muttered. He paled when she raised her hand to hit him again and hastily added, "Alright, alright! I'll tell him! Keep your shirt on!"

They both blushed when they realized what he said, until Remus coughed pointedly. "Can someone please tell me what's going on?" he asked.

Harry fought down the redness in his cheeks enough to tell Remus everything that had happened to him since Sirius' first visit over a month earlier. It took him quite some time to do so, but Remus and Ginny were a good audience. Ginny knew some of what he was saying, but Remus knew almost nothing, so he started from the very beginning.

Remus was, of course, skeptical about Sirius being inside Harry's head, until Harry whispered something Ginny couldn't hear into the older man's ear. He flushed brightly and finally accepted that Sirius, while still dead, was strangely enough partially alive in a way.

After that, Remus confessed that he had managed to get away from Order business to come there only because Dumbledore had sent him to ask Harry a few questions and inform him of some things.

"Before I say this, Harry, I want you to remember that I am only the messenger," Remus stated apprehensively.

Harry's eyes narrowed, but he motioned for his mentor to continue.

"Professor Dumbledore has decided that if Voldemort broke into your mind once, he's likely to do it again, and so he's asked Severus to come and pick up your Occlumency lessons once again."

Harry closed his eyes and drew several deep breaths to calm himself before he replied. "That man will never learn, will he? I told him that my mental shields are now strong enough to defy Voldemort, but does he listen? No, of course not." He sighed. "Occlumency is for amateurs, and it in fact only worsens the problem because I empty my mind. My thoughts and emotions are exactly what keep Voldemort at bay. The shields around my mind far surpass that of any Occlumens on the planet and having Sirius in my mind only enhances that."

Remus frowned. "Come now, Harry. You're powerful, but surely not that powerful?"

Harry shrugged. "Try to break into my mind."

Remus pulled out his wand and muttered, "_Legilimens_"

He entered Harry's mind and was immediately met with a solid, concrete and steel wall, complete with guard stations and mounted machine guns. On the side of the wall was a gigantic sign that said, _Beware of dog_, with a picture of Sirius (in human form) underneath.

Remus, seeing that entering farther than the wall would be impossible, exited Harry's mind and collapsed onto the floor in hysterical laughter.

Ginny raised her eyebrows at Harry, who only smiled secretively in reply.

Remus, who was still chuckling to himself every few seconds, wiped the mirthful tears from his cheeks and climbed back into his chair.

Harry shook his head and then suddenly froze. A slow smile spread across his face, as a sudden thought occured to him. "Remus," he said casually. "When is Snape coming to teach me?"

Remus turned his head to the side and gazed at his young friend warily. "Friday, I think. Why?"

Harry gave him his most Marauder-like smile. "Since he can't get into my head, maybe I can have a bit of fun with him."

Remus' face, on which Harry had never seen so much as a slightly smug look, took on a full blown smirk. "I'm going to want to see that," he said. "Maybe you should get a pensieve so I can."

Harry's face took on a thoughtful look. "You know," he said. "That's actually not a bad idea. I probably should get one of those. Do you know where I can find one?"

Remus grimaced. "I don't know, Harry. Those are extremely rare and expensive. I can look if you want and see what I can find."

"Money is no object," said Harry with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I'd appreciate if you kept an eye out for one.

"Now, what else did the Professor send you here for?" he asked.

"Well," said Remus. "He didn't exactly get a chance to talk to you about your surviving the Killing Curse before you walked off, so he wanted to say he'll be around to talk about that."

Harry shook his head. "Tell him not to bother. Just say I have no idea how that happened and his guess is as good as mine."

"And is that the truth?" Remus prompted.

"Basically. I honestly don't know how I managed it. The best I can come up with is that I have some sort of natural immunity to the Killing Curse. I mean, after all, that's the second time I've survived it. I'm starting to think it wasn't my mother's sacrifice that saved me the first time, though it has kept me safe here at Privet Drive."

Remus nodded in agreement. "Yes, that would make sense. You and Voldemort are both bound by the prophecy, from what Sirius told me, and you're the only two people to get hit by the curse and not die.

"Although," he added thoughtfully. "This last time you didn't get a scar, and it wasn't deflected back at him, was it?"

"No," Harry replied, his brows furrowing in thought. "I didn't and it didn't. I'm guessing that was caused by the unlocking of my full powers. Instead of deflecting the spell, thus cutting open my forehead and connecting me to the caster, my body absorbed it and bled the magic off into the ground. Unfortunately, it means he didn't get hit by his own curse again, but at least I don't have another scar to add to the collection, not to mention an even stronger connection to Voldemort."

"This brooks further thought," said Remus. "Let me know if you make any progress with figuring out, won't you?"

Harry nodded. "Will do, Moony. What else did our dear headmaster want?"

Remus shrugged. "Nothing specific. I think he wanted me to try and worm the identity of the person training out of you. Now that I know, I'm sure I won't tell him. He'll think you've gone nuts because of Padfoot's death and are making up fantasies in which he's still alive as a result."

"Yeah, I had a feeling he would figure out I was getting training from somewhere."

"So," said Remus. "From the way he was speaking, it seems like you're practically in the Order. What changed since the meeting?"

Harry shrugged. "Not a lot, really. He still isn't going to let me join the Order, I don't think. But he is, supposedly, going to let me in on a lot more that's going on. I doubt he'll trust me completely, but hopefully he's at least going to clue me in a little more."

He glanced at the clock. "How long can you stay, Moony?'

Remus glanced at the clock as well, and stood up. "I'd best be off now, actually. I'll be sure to check in again soon, and I think Professor Dumbledore will come by anyway."

He shook both their hands and headed for the door. He paused when he got there, and turned around. "Harry, you keep calling me Moony. Since you're an animagus, may I assume that you've been inducted?"

Harry nodded proudly. "Yes, you may indeed. I am Mr. Inferno."

Remus grinned. "Then farewell, Inferno." And with that, he was gone.

Harry turned to Ginny and put on his best Hermione voice. "Now, Ginny, you should do some studying. After all, you only have TEN WHOLE MONTHS before your O.W.L.s, and they're very important for your future."

Ginny giggled and gave him a mock salute before opening up her bottomless suitcase and taking out her summer homework. She vaguely wondered why her parents hadn't just sent her trunk along, before she realized she had put so many protective charms on it that only she would be able to open it without getting thrown across the room. That meant nothing in the trunk had been sent along with her. Good thing she'd unpacked, unlike Ron, who was still living out of _his_ trunk.

She sat down at one of the two desks in the room and started working on the nasty essay Snape had set for all the soon-to-be fifth years (or perhaps just the Gryffindors).

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Harry at the other desk, quill scribbling furiously. She couldn't help but think that he looked really cute when he was concentrating hard on something. He had a funny way of sticking his tongue out slightly as he thought about what he was writing, and he always ran his hand through his hair when he got frustrated.

She shook herself out of her thoughts angrily. She shouldn't be thinking those things, especially not when she had homework to do. She concentrated once more on her parchment, unaware that the object of her thoughts was having a similar problem.

:You know, your essay is supposed to be on household charms, not Ginny, so you can stop doodling her name all over your parchment,: said Sirius, obviously trying to hold back his laughter.

-Shut up, Padfoot. It's not my fault she has to bloody look that good just when she's doing homework.-

His only answer was muffled laughter.

He glanced at Ginny again out of the corner of his eye, once more marveling at the fact that he could have ignored her for so long. He was such a fool. He'd been obsessed with Cho for so long, when the most wonderful girl in Hogwarts was right in front of his nose.

He knew she wasn't exactly what most boys his age would consider good-looking, but that mattered little to him. She wasn't really a curvy girl, her beauty lay elsewhere. It was in her bright smile that lit up the room, it was in her long red hair that shimmered when the light hit it, it was in the way she laughed, the way she cried, the way she yelled at him for being an idiot.

Could she still fancy him? He wouldn't blame her if she was completely fed up with him by now. After all, he had treated her pretty horribly over the years.

He snapped his head back to his parchment and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. It was no good, he couldn't work like this. He jumped up and walked to the trunk his parents left him.

Dropping down inside, he quickly spotted the backpack he'd filled with Dark Arts books from Grimmauld Place. He looked around the small Library curiously. It seemed to be the exact size needed to fit all the books his parents had put in it. Could there be some way for him to add more?

Then he spotted it; a grey panel with one green button and one red button on it. It was right next to the ladder used to climb into the trunk, and he couldn't believe he'd missed it before.

There was a note stuck to it that read,

_Harry,_

_If you wish add some more to your collection, press and hold the green button to expand the room. Press the red button to shrink it._

_-Mum and Dad_

Harry pressed the green button and held it down for a moment. Looking over his shoulder, he could see the room growing larger, while the bookshelves present shuffled themselves to make room for several more, empty ones. When he thought he had enough room for the hundred-odd books from Sirius' house, he let go of the button and the room froze in place.

"Brilliant," he breathed.

:Yeah:

Soon enough, he had the new bookshelves loaded, and was poking his head out of the trunk again. "Ginny?"

She turned around from her desk. "Yes?"

"Whenever you're done, go ahead and come on down in here. There are a few books you might be interested in, In fact, I think I have one that's solely about the Bat Bogey Hex. My dad must've been responsible for that."

She giggled. "Probably. Alright, I'll be down later."

He nodded, disappearing once again, and was soon immersed in several books about various hexes, curses, and jinxes; both Light and Dark.

* * *

That night, Harry was awoken by Ginny once more thrashing about in a nightmare. He was at her side in an instant, holding her shoulders and trying to shake her awake.

"Ginny! Ginny wake up!" he cried urgently.

Her eyes snapped open, and when she spotted Harry kneeling beside her bed, she immediately grabbed him and clung to him like a lifeline, sobbing once more on his shoulder.

"H-he w-wanted me t-to kill you," she sobbed. "I c-couldn't stop m-myself. H-he m-made me do it."

Harry hesitated for a moment, and then climbed into the bed next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "It was only a dream," he whispered. "He can't control you anymore. I won't let him."

She made no reply, but buried her face in the crook of his neck, still sobbing gently. He ran a hand through her hair soothingly, and this seemed to calm her, for her breathing grew more relaxed. Eventually, she drifted off, and he slid himself gingerly out from under her, careful not to disturb her sleep.

He paced the length of the expanded room agitatedly. They couldn't do this anymore. The Weasleys had placed their trust in him. He was sure they wouldn't approve of him staying in the bed with Ginny. True, it was perfectly innocent in its intentions, but in some ways, Harry was still a normal teenage boy, and being that close to her was eliciting some quite natural reactions.

There was nothing for it. He'd have to find another solution to her nightmares. Tomorrow they would go to Flourish and Blottes and see if they could find any material on relieving her of them.

He sighed, watching her sleep fitfully, and conjured himself an armchair. He prepared to watch her for the rest of the night if necessary.

Tom had a lot to answer for, and it looked like it was up to Harry to be judge, jury, and executioner.

* * *

The rest of that week passed in a blur. Harry was pleased to find that he and Ginny were able to spend large amounts of time comfortably together. They continued training in Martial Arts every day at the park, and studied in Harry's library trunk each evening. Ginny, fortunately, had no more nightmares, but Harry was sure they hadn't seen the last of them.

Despite getting dozens of books on dreams at Diagon Alley, they couldn't seem to find something that would alleviate her nightmares. Harry still held out hope that they would eventually be able to come up with a solution though, so they continued to search.

All things considered, it had been a rather enjoyable few days, and before they knew it, it was Friday and time for Snape's Occlumency lesson.

Harry was up before dawn that day, pacing the room nervously and hoping he wouldn't wake up Ginny in the process.

Today was a momentous occasion for him as a Marauder. He was going to get back at Snape.

His father had been wrong all those years ago, but Snape had no right to hate Harry for things he hadn't even known ever happened, much less been responsible for. If Snape was going to hate him anyway, Harry might as well give him a reason to.

He decided that pacing would get him nowhere, and went down into his library, thinking that perhaps some Wandless Magic training would let him work off some of his nervousness.

After a few hours of that, he felt a little more relaxed, and headed up to have breakfast with Ginny.

They decided to skip going to the park that day, as they didn't know when Snape would arrive.

As it turned out, he arrived at Privet Drive in the middle of the morning. Harry answered the door and invited him in politely, receiving only a glare for his trouble.

:Ugly, greasy, worthless...:

-Sirius, if you don't shut it, I'm going to block you out so you can't see what I do to him.-

Sirius was unnaturally quiet after that.

Harry showed the greasy-haired Potions Master upstairs to his room, where they found Ginny propped up on her bed reading.

Snape's scowl deepened when he saw where she was staying, but other than that he pretended she did not exist. He turned to Harry. "Well, Potter," he spat, "The headmaster has convinced me to once again attempt to teach you to guard your mind, despite the fact that it is an obvious waste of time.

"I doubt that you have made any progress on your own. Nevertheless, we will begin with a test of your current defenses."

Harry snorted. "I did try to tell the headmaster, but he wouldn't listen. I doubt you will either, but I'll try anyway. I advise you to not attempt entering my mind. My shields are far more powerful than you could possibly imagine, and I don't think you'll like the results."

"We shall see, Potter," the Order's spy sneered. Quick as a flash, he whipped out his wand and cried, "_Legilimens!"_

Harry, having expected this, let the spell hit him. He gave Snape enough time just inside the fringes to read the sign placed on his shield, before he pushed back against the intrusion inside his mind.

Snape was literally thrown across the room by the sheer force of the defensive push, and smashed right into the wall, where he slid to the floor.

Harry shook his head sadly. "I did try to warn you," he said mock-mournfully.

Ginny put a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles, and Snape stared at him in shock. "What the hell was that, Potter?" he demanded.

Harry dusted his fingernails off on his shirt and examined them carefully. "Like I said in the Order meeting, my mental shields are now impenetrable. Voldemort cannot enter my mind, and neither can anyone else"

"How?" Snape asked, still in shock, as he struggled to his feet and straightened his robes.

Harry shrugged. "Occlumency is for those who want to block Legilimency. My mental shields are far beyond that. They block any type of mental intrusion, including that of Potions. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if I was now immune to Veritaserum, though I can't be sure without testing it."

Snape's expression soured considerably. "That's not possible, Potter. You cannot possibly be that powerful, though I'm not surprised that you would think that. Just like your father, completely arrogant and-"

What else both Harry and James Potter were, nobody found out, because Harry had floored the Potions Master with his fist. The man's nose looked broken, and he appeared to have lost several teeth.

:It looks like Ginny owes you 5 sickles. Told her you could get four in one punch:

Harry's wand was out and pointed right between Snape's eyes. "You can insult me as much as you want, _professor_, but if you _ever_ insult either of my parents again, I will ensure that you regret it for the rest of your miserable life. Are we clear?"

Snape was so scared by the look in Harry's eyes that he hastily nodded.

"Now, get out of my room," Harry spat. "Go tell Professor Dumbledore that I have no need of instructors from him. He had his chance years ago, and he blew it."

Snape scrambled to his feet once more, and he ran from the room as fast as his feet could carry him, cursing, not for the first time, the day he met Harry Potter.

* * *

Later that afternoon, a package arrived for Harry by owl post. When he saw who it was from, he tore it open excitedly, causing Ginny to stare at him in bemusement.

Soon he was holding a small plastic bag full of what looked like plain white tablets.

"What's that?" Ginny asked.

Harry, who had been staring at the bag with something akin to glee, started in surprise. "Wha- oh, these? They're a special early birthday present I asked your twin brothers for. Anti-Dursley pills. Slip one into their tea and they'll spout random things like; 'I'm a muggle,' or 'Magic rocks,' or 'Wizards are the greatest.' "

Ginny's eyes widened. "They made those just for you?"

Harry, who was obviously already planning his prank, shrugged noncomittally. "Yeah. I'm their sole investor, so they told me I can request special products any time. This is the first time I've requested anything"

They were interrupted at that moment by Harry's aunt's shrill voice. "BOY! TELEPHONE FOR YOU! GET DOWN HERE NOW!"

Harry's eyes widened and he shot down the stairs as fast as he could, snatching the phone from his aunt the moment he reached her.

She scowled and muttered, "You have five minutes," before she stalked off into her kitchen, no doubt to make it even more spotless.

"Hello?" Harry said cautiously into the receiver.

"Is this Mr. Potter?" a deep voice inquired.

"This is he."

"This is Martin Perry. I believe you hired me to locate someone?"

"Yes," said Harry excitedly, "Have you found her?"

"I'm afraid I have not, Mr. Potter. Myself and a few of the others you hired went to the address you gave us, but as you predicted, they were long gone. Whoever has this girl you're trying to find is good. Very good. There are false trails left all over the place. I am sorry to say that it could take months, perhaps even years to find her."

Harry sighed. "Very well, keep me informed."

"Will do. Good day, Mr. Potter."

Harry hung up the phone and headed back upstairs, shoulders slumped in defeat. He hardly even noticed that Ginny had followed him when he rushed down, until she put an arm around him and guided him to his bed, where she sat down next to him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"The muggle detectives I hired to find Katherine. They say it could take years to find her."

"Oh, Harry," Ginny whispered. She put her arms around him and held him close. "I'm sure it won't take that long. They'll find her. You haven't heard back from the wizard detectives have you?"

He shook his head. "No, but I don't think they'll find anything either."

"Don't give up just yet, Harry. You said you hired the best in the business. I'm sure they'll find her before Tom does."

Harry smiled thinly. "I hope you're right, for her sake."

* * *

AN

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Review! But be gentle.....

I'm extremely pleased with the large number of reviews I got for chapter 12. Here's hoping we make 200 this time!

Thanks once more to all my reviewers! I'd thank you individually, but then when would I write the next chapter? If you're not mentioned in the following review responses, it's because I have nothing specific to say to you. I want you to know that you have my deepest, heartfelt gratitude for reviewing my story though.

**yuiop: **It's only slow during the summer, I promise it'll go faster starting September (in the story)

**athenakitty:** Harry suspects Ginny still has feelings for him, but he isn't sure. And, being a typically thick male (no offense guys, I'm one of you too) he probably won't know for sure until she spells it out for him. Your second question, maybe. third, yes. fourth, no. fifth, I meantthat as a joke. I don't actually plan to write anything like that into the story right now.

**marauder23: **many thanks, I rather liked using that to bring him around for once instead of Ginny. Glad you liked it. Of course, my brother keeps telling me I'm getting sappy now, so

**George: **that's alright. Again, I'm happy to receive negative reviews, as long as they're helpful and polite. I may not agree with them, but then again I may change something in the story if a real problem is pointed out to me.

**lil-timmy116: **Before Christmas. (in the story)

**bommor: **right now :)

**Panda Slippers: **Remus starts to become more important in this chapter, and will continue to be a central character throughout the fic. Enjoy!

**TuxedoMac: **I know, I'm just setting up the H/G stuff mostly right now. The action and all that won't be for a while yet, though I did add some stuff with Snape and Remus in this latest.

**john: **a little news in this chappie, but nothing good I'm afraid. It'll be a while yet before he finds her.

**Christina: **I'm afraid not. He can only talk to Sirius because Sirius went through the veil. I'm not sure if I said this earlier, but I'll say it now. Lily and James are in this story, though perhaps not in the way you might think. It could be just a memory of Remus or Sirius, or it could be something more. That's a surprise for much later in the story.

**Jessica Jorritsma: **uh, actually, I'm a guy.


	14. Picnic

AN

By popular demand, I have brought Emily back into the story, if only briefly. She won't be in here extensively, but he may see her a few more times before we're through ;)

Ten points to anyone who can spot the LotR tribute in this chapter (of course, you can't use the points for anything, but still...)

I'm going to let you all know this now. In 12 days, I'm going to Florida for exactly one month. During that time, I will be working for a friend of my dad's (making loads of money in the process I hope) and unable to access a computer. Needless to say, there won't be any updates during that time. I will be able to do a considerable amount of writing, but it'll be on paper and I'll have to type it up when I get home. Hopefully, I'll have at least 5 or 6 chapters just waiting to be put up by the time I get back.

Thanks to JC-S and Yavinbase for their invaluable help with this chapter. I'm hopeless without them.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 14

Picnic

Harry blinked sleepily as he and Ginny walked down the stairs Sunday morning. She had had another nightmare last night, and he'd stayed up most of the night watching to make sure she didn't have any more trouble.

They entered the kitchen together, and Harry nearly groaned aloud at the sight of all three of his relatives sitting at the table. How could he have forgotten? Sunday the Dursleys always ate much later. He should've woken Ginny up earlier. Too late now, though. They'd just have to live with it.

He decided to just make some quick cold cereal, and moved to the counter to gather the things he needed. Ginny moved beside him, and he could feel the hostile glares of his aunt and uncle boring into the back of his school, though he studiously ignored them.

Glancing over his shoulder as he poured cereal into two bowls, Harry could see that Dudley was once again staring intently at Ginny in a way that made the Boy-Who-Lived's blood boil. Ginny must have noticed it too, for she shivered and, seemingly unconsciously, moved closer to Harry.

Deciding it would be better to conjure a table and eat in his room, Harry handed Ginny one of the now-filled bowls and a spoon and motioned for her to follow him back upstairs.

Before they had gone more than a half-dozen steps, however, they were stopped by the sound of Vernon's gruff voice.

"Just a minute, boy."

Harry froze, debating whether or not to just run for it. Eventually deciding it was best to upset his uncle as little as possible; he turned around, raising and eyebrow and responding politely, "Yes, Uncle Vernon?"

Vernon's eyes narrowed, and he watched his nephew for a moment, as though trying determine whether he was being cheeky in some way. Apparently finding nothing to criticize, he growled, "There is a community picnic today that we're going to attend. You two," he motioned to them as if they were a pair of slugs he'd rather never see again, "Are coming with us."

"Why?" Harry asked icily.

"Because we're not leaving you two alone in the house, that's why," Vernon stated, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Harry's angered flared, and a low growl emanated from the back of his throat. He would've started a blazing row with his uncle right then, but Ginny laid her hand gently on his arm and pulled him into a corner.

"Can we please go Harry?" she whispered. "I've never been to a muggle picnic before; I'd like to see what it's like. Please?" She gave him her best pouting look, the one her father had never been able to resist.

As he looked at her wide, brown eyes and slightly trembling lower lip, Harry felt a powerful tug on his heartstrings, and even though he knew she did it on purpose, he found himself unable to tell her no. He doubted very much he'd be able to resist giving her anything she wanted when she gave him that look.

"Alright," he whispered back. "We'll go then." He turned back to his uncle and said curtly, "Fine," before heading back up to his room, Ginny in tow.

They all piled into the car shortly after noon, and Harry was careful to place himself between Ginny and his cousin, though the three of them just barely managed to cram themselves into the back seat.

Fortunately, it was only a ten minute car ride to the huge park where the picnic was taking place. As they clambered out of the car, Harry saw Ginny's jaw drop. He was inclined to agree with her, even though he'd been to a picnic like this once before.

The fact was you couldn't really call it a picnic so much as a carnival. There were dozens of stalls where various foods were sold and games could be played, several empty fields where loads of children were involved in various games, and even a few eating contests.

The most amazing thing of all, though, was the sheer number of people there. There had to be several hundred, most of them families wandering, mingling, eating, and playing. -More than just a local community thing, then.- Some of these people had to have come from quite a ways.

Harry gently lifted Ginny's chin with his forefinger, closing her gaping mouth and causing her to blush brightly. He grinned, grabbed her hand to ensure they didn't get separated in the crowd, and led her after the retreating backs of the Dursleys.

There was a fee to enter, and naturally, the Dursleys refused to pay for Harry and Ginny, so Harry pulled a few bills from his pocket and paid for them both, completely unperturbed.

Once they were inside, they didn't even try to stay with his relatives, knowing that they could always Flame Travel home if they were left there.

They wandered around for a while, hand in hand, sampling various foods from the stalls, and playing a game here or there. Ginny was utterly fascinated by everything, and Harry, amused, let her drag him where ever she wished to go.

After several hours of wandering, they decided to join a few others of their age who had started an impromptu game of football. Ginny picked up the rules fairly quickly, but neither she nor Harry did very well compared to the rest of the players. This mattered little to them, though, and they had a great time regardless.

When they all got hungry, they split up to go and find something to eat for dinner, and Harry bought Ginny and himself some grilled chicken and soft drinks from one of the larger stalls. As they headed for an empty picnic table, Harry accidentally knocked into a man about Ginny's father's age. They both apologized, and he introduced himself as Jeff Clark, minister of a small church near Privet Drive.

Ginny wasn't quite sure how it happened, but somehow he ended up sitting down with them to eat, and soon he and Harry were having a deep philosophical discussion on whether or not it is ever right to take a human life.

"Take this example," Harry was saying, "Hypothetically speaking, if a madman were attempting to take over the world, and was killing millions in the process, would it be 'wrong' to kill him?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Or beyond that even, would it be 'wrong' to take the lives of his followers, who are doing much of the actual slaughter? You say it is evil to kill, yet is it not a greater evil to allow so many innocents to perish?"

Jeff nodded thoughtfully, evidently considering his answer carefully. "You raise the age-old question of choosing the lesser of two evils, Harry. Remember this, though: no one is innocent. At heart, we are all just sinful, fallible mortals. You, me, your hypothetical madman, we're all the same deep down, even if some of us show it more strongly than others."

Harry nodded ruefully. "True, I'm certainly no saint."

Jeff chuckled briefly before sobering and continuing, "That said, I honestly don't know what choice I would make in your hypothetical situation. I suppose I would probably pray for help, and let my Lord guide me in my decision. Your example is fairly straightforward, but remember that things are not always black and white. Sometimes the choice is not clear, and that is when you must choose most wisely. Do not be too eager to deal out death and judgment, for no one can see what the future holds."

He shook his head and chuckled again. "Let us just pray we never have to make that choice, eh?"

"Yeah," Harry muttered, and Ginny knew what he was thinking. He would have to make that choice some day whether he liked it or not, as it was his destiny.

At that moment, Vernon came rushing over, having evidently been passing by when he noticed Harry talking to the minister.

"I'm sorry about my nephew, Minister, he isn't bothering you, is he?" he said, with a scowl at Harry.

Jeff looked up in surprise. "Of course not, Mr. Dursley," he said. "We were actually just having the most interesting discussion. I must commend you on raising such an intelligent and eloquent young man."

Harry had to fight hard to keep the smirk off his face when he heard this, and Vernon forced a smile as he thanked the minister and muttered something about getting back to his wife.

"How did you know I live with them?" Harry asked when he'd gone.

"Oh, I've heard quite a bit about you, Harry," said Jeff, his eyes twinkling in a positively Dumbledore-ish fashion. "You've got quite the reputation as a juvenile delinquent in our area. Though now that I've met you, I wonder where it all came from. You neither look, nor act the part."

Harry shrugged. "Mostly from him, I guess," he said, jerking a thumb towards Vernon's retreating back. "My family always tells everyone that's the way I am. I don't think they like me very much."

He didn't know why he was telling Jeff this. Ordinarily, he never told anyone much about how the Dursleys treated him. Jeff seemed to already know, or at least suspect, that what Harry said was true though, for he didn't act at all surprised.

He shook his head. "It's a shame, that. You don't seem bothered by it, though."

Harry shrugged. "Nah. Bit late for that, really. I'm used to it." He straightened and swung an arm around Ginny's shoulders as he said, "Besides, Ginny's folks have all but adopted me anyway. She and her brothers and parents are my real family. Isn't that right, Ginny?"

Ginny, who was rather preoccupied by the fact that Harry Potter's arm was around her, only caught the last few words, and finding that she couldn't speak, settled for nodding vigorously to whatever Harry had asked her.

Jeff grinned, clearly amused, and shot Harry a questioning look, causing the young man to blush brightly.

A few minutes later, Jeff excused himself, saying that he had to get home soon to work on his sermon for the following week. When he was gone, Harry and Ginny got up to wander around for a while longer, and Ginny felt a strange sense of loss when Harry took his arm from her shoulders. It disappeared a moment later, however, when he once more grasped her hand in his own to lead her through the crowd.

They were considering buying some dessert when something small collided forcefully with Harry's leg, nearly bowling him over in the process. He looked down to see what it was, and found a small girl clinging to him.

"HARRY!" the girl cried happily.

His eyes widened in shock. "Emily?" he asked incredulously.

She nodded excitedly and released him. "It's me, Harry!"

He glanced around anxiously. "Where are your parents, Emily?"

She pointed behind him, and he saw Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson trying to fight their way through the crowd toward them. Emily, though, was now staring at Ginny, who was still clutching Harry's hand. "Hi, I'm Emily. Who are you?" she asked, sticking out her hand.

Ginny, of course, thought this was incredibly cute, so she giggled and shook the little girl's hand. "I'm Ginny Weasley. Pleased to meet you, Emily."

Then Emily, in typical childlike innocence, asked, "Are you Harry's girlfriend?"

Both teens blushed brightly, but were saved from answering by the arrival of Emily's parents.

"Emily!" cried Mrs. Stevenson. "How many times have we told you not to wander off like that? You could get lost again, and then what would we do?

"I'm so sorry if she was bothering you," she said to Harry and Ginny.

Harry opened his mouth to say that it was quite alright, but never got the chance, as Emily said instead, "But mummy, it's Harry!"

Her parents froze, and Harry cringed inwardly, wondering what their reaction would be.

"Harry?" Mrs. Stevenson asked her daughter. "As in the Harry that brought you home?"

Emily, who was by now holding her father's hand and grinning like mad, nodded in typical Emily fashion.

Mr. Stevenson spoke this time, and he was addressing Harry, "Is this true? You're the one that brought her back?"

"Er . . . yeah. That would be me. I'm Harry Potter," Harry replied apprehensively. To his surprise, Mr. Stevenson immediately rushed forward to pump his hand excitedly, thanking him profusely for returning his daughter to him.

When he finally let the young man go, his wife jumped in to take his place, wringing his hand and tearily expressing her thanks for him bringing her baby back to her.

They ended up inviting Harry and Ginny to sit down for some apple pie with them; an offer the two teenagers eagerly accepted.

Emily insisted that she be able to sit next to Harry, and immediately started asking him question after question about the strangest things, which he answered as patiently as he could. Ginny, sitting on his other side, giggled silently at his amused look as he answered a question about, of all things, his shoes.

She couldn't help thinking that he would make an excellent father one day. Unbidden, an image of redheaded, emerald-eyed children playing in the front yard of a beautiful house came to the front of her mind. She brushed the thought aside firmly. That had been one of her favorite fantasies in her first few years at Hogwarts, when she'd been a love-struck little girl. On more than one occasion, she had neglected to take real notes in a class, too busy doodling her own name in various forms with the name Potter replacing Weasley.

Inwardly, she cringed remembering those days. Those were memories she'd rather forget. Full of embarrassment and unreturned feelings.

Harry must've sensed her mood, for he squeezed her hand briefly under the table, shooting her a reassuring look, before letting go and returning his full attention to Emily once more. She blushed. Merlin, he was sweet.

Mrs. Stevenson interrupted her daughter then, insisting that Harry recount the story of his finding Emily. Ginny's ears perked up curiously. Harry had given her the abbreviated version in a letter, and he'd told pretty much the same thing to Remus, but she'd never heard all the details.

Harry complied with a sigh, and related everything that happened those couple of days, editing it only slightly for muggle consumption. When he was finished, he started apologizing profusely for his foolishness for not contacting the police immediately.

The Stevensons were surprisingly understanding, and waved it off, saying that no real lasting harm had been done, and his heart had been in the right place at least.

An hour later, the picnic seemed to be winding down, and many people had left or were leaving. Harry and Ginny gave the Stevensons their thanks for the pie, and bid them good night. Emily tugged on Harry's pants leg before they left, and he crouched down to her eye level.

"Will you come visit me?" she asked.

Harry glanced at her parents, who nodded, and replied, "We'll see. I have to go back to school in September, but I promise I'll try to come visit you before then."

She grabbed him in a hug, which he returned, and Harry and Ginny headed for the Dursleys' car.

When they reached it, they found the Dursleys already there, with Vernon glaring at them when he saw them approach.

"It's about ruddy time, boy," he snarled. "Get in."

Harry, deciding he didn't want to go through another ride with them, replied, "You go ahead, Uncle. We'll get home on our own."

Vernon turned a nasty shade of purple. "I said, get in the car, boy, and I mean it. Your _minders_ have insisted that you not be far from the house without your aunt."

Harry matched him glare for glare, and ground out, "We will be fine. Leave my 'minders' to me."

"Fine," Vernon spat. "But be sure to tell them that we had nothing to do with it." Then he hopped into the car and sped off.

"Harry," Ginny started worriedly. "Were we supposed to be away from the wards on Privet Drive for this long?"

He chuckled lightly. "Don't worry. As long as Aunt Petunia is with me, we're safe staying away from the house for a day or so. Besides, Tonks has been trailing us all day.

"Isn't that right, Tonks?" he called back over his shoulder.

An elderly lady approached them, scowling. "How'd you know it was me, Harry?"

He chuckled. "I've never seen a lady of your supposed age fall flat on her face, then spring to her feet, cursing like a sailor."

They were walking away from the crowd, towards a secluded patch of trees. Ginny giggled at his explanation, and Tonks blushed, smacking him lightly on the arm good-naturedly.

"Prat," she muttered.

They made it to the stand of trees, out of reach of prying eyes, and Tonks reverted to her favorite form, spiky bubble-gum pink hair and all.

"So, Tonks," Harry started. "How's life treating you?"

"Um . . . Well enough, I suppose. Why?" she replied warily, having noticed an odd smile on his face as he asked his question

He ignored her question, instead asking another one of his own with a distinctly mischievous smile. "Has he asked you out yet?"

"Wh-what?" she stuttered incredulously. "Who? What are you on about?"

"Remus," Harry replied, as though it should be obvious. "I wondered if he'd got up the courage to ask you out yet."

Tonks blushed horribly, and Ginny stared at him in shock.

"What?" he said defensively. "Just because Ron is blind doesn't mean I am."

Ginny giggled. "I had no idea you were so perceptive, Harry. I guess I just assumed that you and Ron were the same that way."

Tonks finally got her voice back. "What did you mean by that, Harry? Remus doesn't-"

"Oh please," Harry interrupted. "Don't give me that. I've seen the looks you two give each other ever since _last _summer. The only reason he didn't ask you out a long time ago is because he's afraid you won't want to date a werewolf."

He could see the hope in her eyes, as she asked, "Do you really think he may fancy me?"

"I know it," said Harry confidently, "But you may have to make the first move. You know how he is."

She nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Harry."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Think nothing of it. I just want to see Remus happy for once. He's had a hard life."

He straightened. "Now, Ginny and I have to get back to Privet Drive. We have some studying to do before bed. Want a ride?"

Her eyes lit up at the prospect of traveling by phoenix, and she nodded excitedly.

Within moments, they were all in Harry's room at number four.

"You'd better get out of here before the Dursleys come back, Tonks," Harry warned. "They won't be happy to see you inside."

She nodded in agreement. "I'll sneak out the back. It was good seeing you, Harry, Ginny." She shook Harry's hand and gave Ginny a small hug, then disappeared out onto the landing.

Her footsteps were heard going down the stairs, then a yelp, and a muffled crash.

"I'm alright," she called back up. "Just gotta fix this . . . _Reparo!_"

Harry and Ginny collapsed onto the floor in silent laughter.

When they recovered, Harry got up and opened up his library trunk, holding the lid while Ginny slid down the ladder first. She stopped at the entrance. "Thanks for everything today, Harry," she said softly. "I had a lot of fun." She knew he had spent an enormous amount of money on her, what with the food they'd eaten and the games they'd played. She had tried to stop him, but he waved it off, saying that he had more money than he could spend in ten lifetimes, he might as well spend some of it on his friends.

As she climbed in, he said with a positively evil grin, "Don't mention it, Ginny. But remember, we skipped out on your training today. Be prepared to make it up tomorrow."

The only answer he received was a moan of mingled dread and resignation.

* * *

When they returned from the park Wednesday afternoon, Harry and Ginny found Professor Dumbledore in Harry's room, sitting in a conjured armchair and looking very grave.

"I'll just go grab a shower then," Ginny muttered, grabbing some fresh clothes, and leaving them to talk.

Harry shut the door, conjured an armchair (leather) for himself in front of the headmaster, and sat down. He had been expecting Dumbledore's visit ever since his 'lesson' with Snape, and carefully planned what he was going to say.

"Harry," Dumbledore finally started, "Why did you attack Professor Snape?"

:Well, that was direct.:

A year ago, Harry would've been horrified and ashamed at the amount of disappointment audible in the aging man's voice. As it was, Harry had lost a great deal of the respect he had once had for Dumbledore, and he couldn't care less what the headmaster thought of him.

"He insulted my parents," he replied calmly. "He deserved what he got."

Dumbledore frowned. "Now, Harry, I know you and Severus don't get on all that well-"

And just like that, all Harry's carefully prepared arguments were thrown out the window.

"Don't get on all that well?" he yelled incredulously. "Are you serious? Are you that blind? He's hated me from the day I first set foot in his classroom, without any cause other than my parentage. He's continually been absolutely unfair to me; docking points for breathing incorrectly, giving me detention because one of the Slytherin's cauldrons blew up and he knew he could get away with blaming it on me, humiliating me publicly, and insulting me, my parents, and my friends at every available opportunity. Frankly, he's lucky I didn't cut him up into little pieces and use him as fertilizer for Aunt Petunia's vegetable garden."

"Come now, Harry," Dumbledore replied doubtfully. "Surely it's not all that bad."

"Not that bad?" Harry repeated, unable to believe the headmaster could not know. "Not that bad? Professor, ask _any _student in my year that's not in Snape's house and they'll tell you. Everyone knows about the two of us, how can you not?"

Dumbledore's brows creased slightly. Certainly, he knew that Severus was less than fair to the boy, but as bad as all that? Surely not. Yet he couldn't help feeling that he had perhaps purposely overlooked the whole thing, not wanting to believe what was right in front of him.

"He deserved what he got," Harry said again firmly. "He can do whatever he wants to me - I've dealt with it for five years and I can deal with it a few more - but I'm not going to take him insulting my family or my friends again. Next time he does, I use magic, and he'll lose a lot more than a few teeth."

Dumbledore opened his mouth, but Harry held up a hand. "That's all I'm going to say on that matter, Professor. I'm not going to budge. Now, what else did you come here for?"

The twinkle completely went out of Dumbledore's eyes at this point, but he decided to continue that particular battle at a later date. "I want to test your mental defenses, Harry," he said.

Harry leaned back in his chair and waved his hand indifferently. "Go ahead."

Dumbledore drew his wand, leveling it at Harry, and murmured, _"Legilimens!"_

He emerged from his student's mind several minutes later, having determined that both Remus and Severus had been right. The boy's mind was impenetrable.

Harry yawned. "Anything else?" he asked.

"Yes, actually. We never had a chance to speak about your surviving the Killing Curse nearly two weeks ago."

"Like I told Remus," Harry replied, "I don't have any clue how that happened. Your guess is as good as mine; probably better." He shrugged. "Maybe I just can't be killed. I do seem to have a knack for surviving when I shouldn't."

"This is no laughing matter, Harry," Dumbledore chided, and Harry rolled his eyes. "You will tell me if you can think of any reason why you lived, won't you?"

Harry shrugged apathetically. "Sure."

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed slightly, but he made no further comment on that. He stared at Harry for a few moments before he continued, "Now, about your sister. We should, of course, begin searching for her immediately. I have already contacted a few people that I know-"

"Way ahead of you, I'm afraid," Harry interrupted dryly. "I've hired the best muggle and wizard detectives in England already. They've been at it for several weeks already, and I'm told it could take years to locate her."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Dumbledore replied with a frown. "If I can be of any help, please let me know."

"I think at this point, everything that can be done is being done, but I will take you up on that if needs be."

Harry's eyes flickered to the door for a moment. "Ginny probably won't like me telling you this, Professor," he said quietly, "But she's been having some pretty nasty nightmares about the Chamber lately. I think the close proximity to Voldemort awakened some unpleasant memories she'd rather have forgotten. Do you know of any way to alleviate her nightmares?"

He may have been upset with Dumbledore, but the headmaster was still one of the most knowledgeable wizards on the planet. If helping Ginny meant he had to swallow some of his pride and mistrust, so be it.

Dumbledore thought for a moment, but eventually shook his head. "I'm afraid I know of no spell that would help."

Harry's heart sank. If Dumbledore didn't know of a solution, there very likely wasn't one.

"On the other hand," the headmaster added suddenly. "A pensieve may at least help somewhat. If she were to put her memories involving Tom Riddle into one, it could deaden the effect they have on her. Putting them into a pensieve doesn't mean they're gone, but they're not as sharp and clear." He peered over his glasses at Harry. "It may also help if you show her your own memory of defeating the memory of Riddle. I understand she was unconscious when he was destroyed. It may be that seeing the whole thing could give her some closure."

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but a knock on the door interrupted him.

"Come in," he called. Ginny walked into the room, cautiously.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" she asked.

"Not at all," Harry replied, without batting an eye. "I was just about to tell the headmaster that Remus is looking for a pensieve for me."

"Oh," she said. "OK, I was just wondering if you could. . ." She trailed off, motioning to her still sopping wet hair.

"Of course," he waved his hand, and a small stool appeared from thin air in front of his chair. "Sit down; I'll take care of it."

She sat facing away from him, and he started running his hands through her hair softly, trailing his fingers all the way to where it ended in the middle of her back. Where ever his hands went, her hair became dry, and he marveled at the silky smooth texture of it.

Her eyes drifted closed at his touch, and without even realizing it, she started humming while he worked.

Dumbledore watched in amazement. Truly these two had become close in the short time they'd been together at Privet Drive. The simple intimacy of what Harry was doing astounded him.

"Harry," he said quietly, "You do know-"

Harry made a slicing motion across his own throat, effectively cutting off the headmaster. He knew very well that it was unnecessary to actually run his hands through her hair, but she didn't. When she first asked him to use a drying charm on her hair a few days before, he had said that he couldn't do it very well Wandlessly, so he'd have to actually touch what he was drying. It was a lie, but he couldn't pass up the opportunity. He loved her hair, and loved running his hands through it. She didn't seem to mind so much either.

Dumbledore gave him a very knowing look, and changed the subject. Indicating Harry's bed with his hand, he said, "As you can see, I've brought you something."

Without removing his hands, Harry craned his neck to see what the headmaster was pointing to. On his bed was a long, thin package of some sort and several letters. "What is it?" he asked.

Dumbledore smiled widely. "Your _Firebolt_, of course. I apologize for the time it took to get it here, but Minerva insisted on sending it back to the company for a complete inspection and cleaning, after what Miss Umbridge did to it. Your O.W.L. results and both your Hogwarts letters are there as well."

"I take it my ban has been lifted?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed it has. Unless there is anything else you'd like to tell me, I'm afraid I must be on my way."

He waited, and when Harry said nothing, got up, vanished his chair, and strode towards the door. He stopped just outside the room, and turned back around. "I almost forgot, Remus has volunteered to be your 'liaison' with the Order. He'll be keeping you informed of the latest news and happenings."

Harry nodded, satisfied, as the headmaster headed back downstairs. He would know more of what was going on now, and Remus would be sure to not hide anything from him.

Finished with Ginny's hair, he gave her shoulder a light squeeze to let her know he was finished, and they both stood up to read their respective letters. Harry pried open his O.W.L. results letter and scanned it quickly. An 'E' in Potions and nine O.W.L.s total.

He tossed the letter into the wastebasket without reading any other particulars. He didn't care about the rest of his scores anyway - he had all the knowledge that could be gained from Hogwarts already. The only reason he was even going back was so that Dumbledore didn't know he was going to be taking military training in the States.

His regular Hogwarts letter felt surprisingly heavy, he noticed, slitting it open. Something cloth fell out, and he noticed, to his shock, that it was a patch in the shape of a golden 'C.'

He knew immediately what it was. The captain's patch of the Gryffindor quidditch team, to be sewn onto his quidditch robes. He grinned. Something to look forward to at Hogwarts after all.

He turned to Ginny, holding it out triumphantly. "I made quidditch captain!" he cried. She grinned happily and congratulated him, still holding her own letter. "Did you make prefect?" he asked.

She gave him a disgusted look. "Of course not. Why would I want to be a prefect? I wouldn't be able to pull any pranks that way."

He grinned widely. "Taking after Fred and George?"

She rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Already have. Harry, you don't honestly think Fred and George pulled as many pranks as they've been blamed for, do you? No, loads of the time they would do the distracting while I pulled off the actual prank. No one ever suspects sweet, innocent little Ginny, though. We're the perfect team."

His wide grin faded in shock, then returned, more feral this time. "Perhaps I'll have to help you out this year. Speaking of which, we haven't tried out those anti-Dursley pills your brothers gave me." He winked. "Should we go make some tea for my relatives?"

Her smirk, he reflected, could rival the twins' at their most devilish.

AN: Like it? Love it? Hate it? Please review! I love reviews, they keep me going...

I know, I know, the fic is going agonizingly slow at this point. I promise only two or three more chapters before H & G get together and we get back to some real action! Of course, if every love is a road, H & G's is Pothole Central. Expect some bumps!

Before you all ask, Jeff is not an important character. He's just there to keep the whole thing about killing going. It's a central conflict in this fic.

I heard song on the radio the other day, and a few of the lyrics struck me as fitting concerning the relationship between Dumbledore and Harry. I can't post song lyrics, so you'll have to check out _Just Like You _by Three Days Grace on your own.

Thanks once more to all my reviewers! I'd thank you individually, but then when would I write the next chapter? If you're not mentioned in the following review responses, it's because I have nothing specific to say to you. I want you to know that you have my deepest, heartfelt gratitude for reviewing my story though.

**marick:** salutes!

**iiropl: **Not a big fan of love triangles, I'm afraid. Even as a joke, the whole idea just weirds me out too much. Ginny will undoubtedly become a Marauder, but her nickname should come from her animagus form, which we'll find out some time in the future.

**bree: **1) Just a couple more chapters, I promise! 2) Why would they figure the Sirius thing out? Nothing like this has ever happened before. They probably wouldn't believe it even if he outright told them. 3) Nope, he's stuck with Harry. He died to save him, so that's who he got to come back to.

**Potter and the Weasley:** Hermione bashing is on the way! I'm not sure when, but it'll be there, as I don't really like her all that much, and she has some major problems to sort out. What do you mean by what will I do with her? I suppose she'll join Harry in his fight, and they'll try and learn what it's like to be brother and sister, if that's what you mean. She doesn't turn out to be some superweapon and they destroy Voldemort together or anything.

**gallandro-83:** Who wouldn't?

**PaperbagPrincezz:** I'll do that. Thanks.

**athenakitty:** I'll answer in the order I was asked: What charms? Yes. Maybe. Not physically. Probably. More than likely. Maybe. A few more months (in the story). Soon.

**Maybe Baby: **thanks! I do agree on Snape, now that I think about it, but I'm going to leave it that way anyway. After all, I'm going for the whole 'Harry is really scary and could be worse than Voldemort' angle. Even if he doesn't become evil.

**Treck: **I had a feeling about that. Screwed up my email notification of reviews too...

**kazziedal: **They will reconcile before the end of the fic. I promise nothing more


	15. Birthday

AN

Well, this is the last update for the next month I'm afraid. My plane leaves Sunday afternoon. I do have some good news though! I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico!

Ok, that was a stupid joke, but I really do have good news. My sister's going to let me borrow her laptop while I'm in Florida. I still can't access the internet, but at least all the chapters I'm going to do while I'm down there will be actually typed up when I get back. Expect several new chapters right off the bat! I hope I have lots of reviews waiting for me to read when I return....

On a more directly story-related note this and the next chapter are the last of the 'slow' ones. Ginny and Harry get together in chapter 16, and then we get back into some action.

Oh yeah, HUGE congrats to miss JK Rowling on the birth of her baby girl!

Thanks once more to my fantastic beta, Yavinbase, and my equally wonderful sort of co-writer, JC-S.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 15

Birthday

Harry was awoken, rather rudely, the morning of his 16th birthday by the impact of a short redheaded girl on his stomach.

The air left his lungs in a rush, and he choked out, "What'd. . .do. . .that. . .for. . ." in between huge gasps for oxygen.

Ginny, who's face was directly above his own, giggled at his discomfort. "Get up! It's your birthday; you can't waste it lying around in bed all day!"

He groaned aloud. "Fine. You have to get off me first, though."

She suddenly seemed to realize where she was, and scrambled off quickly, blushing furiously.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, stretching his arms and groaning again. As he stood up, knees popping from the movement after a long night of rest, he noticed a large pile of presents in the middle of the floor.

Even after several years of receiving gifts from his friends, he still wasn't used to the idea. Each year, he half expected to wake up on his birthday and receive nothing, just like before he had gone to Hogwarts.

"Ginny," he said slowly, "When did all of those get here?"

"Last night," she replied brightly. "I decided to wait until morning to wake you up, though."

He thought for a moment, and then asked, "Would you like to get some breakfast before we get into all that?"

She stared at him as though he had grown an extra head. "What are you talking about, Harry? Sit down and open your presents right this minute! Even for a Weasley, presents come before food."

Her tone was commanding, and despite the fact that she was considerably shorter than him, he found himself sitting down obediently.

:Just like her mother, that one,: said Sirius wryly.

Soon he was tearing his way through piles of brightly wrapped gifts, as she handed them to him one by one. From Hagrid he got a rather interesting dagger and a box of fudge, the latter of which Harry wisely put off to one side to throw away later. Hermione sent him a book on dragons, causing him to blink for a moment. Ron must've told her about the Order meeting. Ron himself had sent Harry a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and a couple of Chudley Cannons posters.

To his surprise, Harry also received a pair of stylish-looking sunglasses from Tonks. According to her note, they were special glasses used by most Aurors, and he really wasn't supposed to have a pair (not that that stopped her). They apparently enabled the wearer to 'see' the magic around them, with different colors representing the different types of magic.

From Remus he received a book, that turned out to be a book of the oldest families of England. He could use it to find out about his ancestry. Dumbledore, surprisingly, sent him two pensieves and a note saying not to worry about the cost of them; to consider it a peace offering.

He was just about to get started on the cake sent by Mrs. Weasley when the doorbell downstairs rang. Soon, the sound of his aunt screeching in fright and slamming the door shut had Harry on his feet with his wand drawn.

In only moments, he was down the stairs and in front of her. She looked to be livid beyond words, and he found himself taking an involuntary step backwards in surprise.

"I won't have it any more!" she screeched. "It's bad enough we have two of you freaks in the house already without more of you! Tell them to leave . . . NOW!"

Bewildered, Harry opened the door to find, surprisingly, Fred, George, Hermione, and Ron all standing there looking torn between amusement and uncertainty.

"Happy Birthday, Harry!" they all cried.

Harry blinked. No one had told him about this. He looked questioningly at Ginny, who had followed him down the stairs. She just winked at him mischievously, indicating that this was either her idea or she had at the least known about it.

Finally remembering his manners, he shook his head hurriedly, and said, "Come in, come in! Didn't expect to see all of you here today!"

"Well of _course_ you didn't, mate," said Ron exasperatedly. "That was the whole idea."

Harry noticed his Aunt Petunia swelling up in anger, and quickly said, "Go up to my room, I'll be there in just a moment." He gave Ginny a significant look, indicating that she should lead them up there and make certain they left Petunia to him. She did so, albeit reluctantly.

The group trooped up to Harry's bedroom. They heard shouting for several minutes, but could make out little of what was said. All four of the others wanted to go down and help him, but Ginny stood in front of the door and adamantly refused to let anyone go down, insisting that Harry wanted to handle his family alone.

He came up a moment later, massaging his temple wearily with one hand. "Sorry about that, guys," he muttered, closing the door. "I can't _wait_ to get out of here."

"Do you think you'll be able to any time soon?" asked Ron anxiously.

"No, I'm afraid it doesn't look that way," Harry replied with a sad shake of his head. "With things the way they are, we most likely will be here the rest of the summer. Originally I planned to just take off with or without Dumbledore's consent, but I realize now that wouldn't be a good idea." He gazed at all of them gravely. "His power is growing. I managed to surprise him at Diagon Alley with my Dragon form and my muggle fighting, but it was a close thing. Next time, I don't know what I'll do."

He could almost see the wheels turning in Hermione's mind, and inwardly he smiled amusedly. Any moment now she would ask....

"You speak as though there can be no doubt that you'll meet again," she blurted, suddenly. "That isn't necessarily true, is it? I mean, you can keep away from him if you're careful, can't you?"

"Remus said it best, Hermione," Harry replied with a rueful smile. "You're the cleverest witch of your age." They all grinned at her as she blushed furiously. He continued, "I am now going to tell you something that can go no farther than this room. I trust each one of you with my life, but this knowledge is dangerous. No one can find out you know this. You must let nothing slip. Nothing."

He gazed at each of their visitors, searchingly. His green eyes, no longer protected by glasses, seemed to bore straight into them. Seeing that they all had nodded in reply to his statement, he waved his hand a few times, locking and silencing the room and pulling down the shade on the window.

Each of them but Ginny gasped in surprise, and Hermione spluttered, "B-but that's impossible!"

"Is it?" Harry asked mildly. "I hadn't noticed."

"It is," Hermione said firmly, completely ignoring his teasing. "Most people can't do Wandless Magic until several years after Hogwarts, and then only the most basic of spells. The level you just used is-"

"Dumbledore's level," Harry finished for her, eyes crinkled up slightly in mirth. "By all rights I shouldn't be able to do it, and yet . . . I did. The evidence is right in front of you, Hermione. You cannot always believe everything you read."

Hermione was quite indignant at the jab towards her beloved books, but she asked instead, "Isn't that underage magic?"

"Of course," Harry said absently, with a dissmissive wave of his hand, "But the Ministry can't detect Wandless Magic. It's not usually a problem with students, since it's ordinarily near impossible to utilize until adulthood."

"Harry," Hermione said reproachfully, "Just because you can get away with it doesn't mean you should. It's against the _law_."

"Someday, Hermione," he replied calmly, "You will understand that laws are not infallible."

"Just what's that supposed to mean?" she shot back hotly.

"Just this; you depend entirely too much on knowledge, rules, laws, and those in charge. You have to accept that just because it is written does not make it right! Whether it's a law, or a sheet of rules of conduct, or an encyclopedia, we are all fallible. That includes the Ministry, as I'm sure you're well aware.

"Don't get me wrong. Without law, there is chaos. Laws are necessary. However, the fact remains that sometimes you have to skirt the law to do what is right. I use Wandless Magic because I'm training myself in it. Every time I use a spell, it gets that much easier.

"You need to start thinking for yourself, Hermione! Stop depending on your books, your teachers, and your _rules_. There is much more at stake than getting a detention with Filch here. I do what I do only because I must."

The rest of the occupants of the room were staring at the pair of them in amazement, with various emotions flitting across their faces. Ron looked torn between being angry with his best mate for telling off Hermione (who looked very upset at being told she depended too much on anything), and clapping him on the back for finally having the courage to set her straight. He settled for just watching the both of them blankly.

Fred and George, on the other hand, looked about ready to leap to their feet and start dancing. Having endured entirely too many of Hermione's lectures about rules, they found the fact that Harry had lectured _her _for a change quite refreshing. True, none of the things they'd done were important really, but they were just silly school rules after all. Nothing harmful had ever occurred from any of their pranks, yet Hermione always acted as though they had committed some horrible crime worthy of Azkaban.

Ginny just sat off to one side, apparently completely unsurprised by what had just happened. "Just tell them why you have to train, Harry," she said quietly.

"Ginny knows?" Ron asked indignantly.

"Well, yeah," said Harry a little uncomfortably. "She _has_ been the only one here with me this whole time." It wasn't a total lie. He'd told her about the Prophecy before she'd come, but she really was the only one around to talk to for the last couple weeks.

Fortunately, Ron seemed to accept this answer. Hermione, the only one who was perceptive enough to pick up on his discomfort, was still too preoccupied with the fact that she'd just been told off to notice.

Harry motioned for all of them to sit down, and walked over to his bed to get his new pensieve. Dumbledore had included a set of instructions for both simple and more complex use of the incredibly complex magical object. He studied the parchment carefully for a few moments, then picked up the pensieve, and carried it back to where his friends were sitting in a circle on the floor.

He sat down between Ginny and Ron, placing the pensieve in the center of the circle as he did so. Pulling out his wand, he touched it to his temple and extracted the memory of his visit to Dumbledore's office at the end of the previous term. He left out the part where he trashed the headmaster's office, and the discussion of Sirius' death, deciding they needed only see the part with the actual prophecy.

"Is that considered doing magic?" Ginny asked, pointing to his wand.

"Professor Dumbledore assures me that it is not," Harry replied, "It's not really even a spell. I'm just using my wand as a sort of 'magnet' for my thoughts."

He pointed to the shallow stone basin now containing his silvery thought. "Just touch a finger to the surface," he said, "Ginny, you might want to go, too; you've only heard the prophecy, not what the headmaster said about it."

They all reached their fingers for the basin, but Harry stopped Hermione before she could go. "I just want to say I am sorry about that, Hermione. I didn't want to upset you, but it's something I had to say. All my life I've been ordered around. You, the Order, the Dursleys, everyone is always tell me what I can and cannot do, but I'm not going to take it any more. If I'm going to survive the next couple years, I'm going to have to control my own life."

He pulled her into his arms for a hug, and whispered into her ear, "You know I love you like were my sister, even if we're not blood related."

He could tell she was crying, and she whispered back hoarsely, "You've always been like my brother too, Harry."

They pulled apart, both bright-eyed. "Now go see what Dumbledore has to say," Harry said.

They all emerged from the pensieve a few moments later, varying emotions on all of their faces. Ginny's expression had changed little, for most of what was said in the memory she already knew, but for the rest of them, this was all quite new. Hermione looked torn between being horrified and wanting to head straight for the nearest library to research prophecies and their accuracy. Ron looked like he was going to be sick, while the twins were uncharacteristically grave.

Fred suddenly brightened and asked casually, "So it's all up to you, Harry?"

Harry nodded grimly. "It looks that way."

"Well could you hurry up and just kill the old snake, then?" George demanded, "I'm getting sick of this bloody war."

"George!" Hermione exclaimed, scandalized, but he ignored her.

"Yeah," put in Fred. "It's bad for business. Finish him off so we can get on with expanding the business."

"This is nothing to joke about!" Hermione said shrilly, "He could be killed!"

George looked at her as though she had just told him magic didn't exist. "What are you on about, Hermione? That old tosser hasn't got a chance. I just wish Harry would quit stalling and get on with it."

Hermione opened her mouth to retort, but was interrupted by the sound of muffled laughter. She turned in surprise to find Harry with his fist stuffed in his mouth and his eyes squeezed shut, trying to hold in his mirth.

"What's so funny?" she asked him.

With a monumental effort, he managed to calm himself enough to choke out, "Them," with a finger pointed in the general direction of the twins. He took several deep breaths and continued, addressing them this time, "You just never stop do you?"

They pretended to think about it for a moment and answered in unison, "Nope."

He grinned widely. "Thanks you guys. Really, your confidence in me is encouraging. I only hope I can figure out exactly how to kill him."

"What do you mean, mate?" Ron, silent until this point, asked.

"Well," Harry replied thoughtfully, "I can't really kill him conventionally. The Killing Curse can't kill him, and I doubt he's overlooked muggle means, having grown up a muggle. So as it is, I know I _can _kill him, I just don't know _how_. Yet, that is."

"Anything we can do, you can count on us," Fred said, and the others murmured their agreement.

"Thanks," Harry said, bright-eyed. "It means a lot to me." He shook himself. "Now enough of this solemn stuff. Mrs. Weasley sent a nice cake and a case of butterbeers here. I suggest we enjoy them."

They all settled down to eat, and the next half hour or so was full of food, laughter, and light-hearted conversation. Ron, of course, polished off more cake than anyone else, though Harry and Ginny (having had no breakfast before that point) came close to matching him . . . as a team, that is.

"Oi, Harry, how come you haven't answered our letters, mate?" Ron asked his best mate around a mouthful of food.

Chuckling at Hermione's disgusted cry of 'Ron!,' Harry replied slightly sheepishly, "Sorry about all that. I didn't feel like talking."

"You wrote back to Ginny!" Ron sputtered indignantly.

"Ginny didn't try to talk to me about Sirius," Harry said.

"Um, don't be angry, but how are you doing with all that?" asked Hermione cautiously. "It's ok if you don't want to talk about it," she hastily added, upon seeing his hard look, "We've just been worried about you."

Harry sighed. "I'd rather not talk about it, Hermione. I'm fine, let's just leave it at that."

:You're not going to tell them about me?: Sirius asked, surprised.

-Nah, they'll just think I'm nutters. Hermione'll be going on and on about some psychological thing or another, and Ron'll tell me I've lost it. I don't think there are any unique memories I could use to convince them it's really you in my head.-

:True. Best to leave it on a need-to-know basis from now on. Moony and Ginny know, that's probably enough for now.:

Hermione relented, though reluctantly, and the subject was changed.

The small group of friends spent the rest of the day together, forgetting, if only for a short time, that their lives were in danger, that there was a war just beginning, and that they would most likely be right in the middle of it before long.

Harry and Ginny gave the rest a tour of the neighborhood, including their favorite spot in the park and the diner where they often ate. Harry treated everyone to lunch there, despite everyone's protests, and told them all stories of Emily, the picnic, and the pranks he'd pulled on the Dursleys.

Fred and George particularly liked the one using the special 'anti-Dursley pills' they'd made specifically for Harry. Once they'd drunk the tea laden with the dissolved pills, Harry's relatives had spent the next three days saying random things such as, 'Harry Potter is the greatest wizard of all time!' or 'Magic is brilliant!' or Ginny's favorite, 'I wish I was a wizard, too.'

Naturally, the Dursleys had been terrified of going out like that, so Vernon had missed three days of work, and Dudley's gang started to wonder why he hadn't been beating up little kids with them.

While all of this was fun, it _had _led to a particularly spectacular row between Harry and Vernon, in which the older man tried to kick both teenagers out of the house. Harry had had to use magic to restrain him, but he still considered it worth it. After all those people had done to him, when he was an innocent child, they deserved everything they got.

By the end of his story, Fred, George, and Ron were simply howling with laughter, and all three of them fell off their chairs. Even Hermione, who usually disapproved of this sort of thing, seemed satisfied with the retribution Harry was inflicting on his horrible relatives.

The visitors had to leave for Mrs. Figg's later on that evening. Having flooed over to visit in the first place, that was how they were leaving. They promised to try to come back again when they could, but not to count on it. Convincing Mrs. Weasley and the Order to allow them to come just this once was hard enough.

Once they were gone, Harry and Ginny went out to the bench in the back yard and sat down together. To her surprise, Harry put an arm around Ginny's shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

Of course, she didn't complain. She was just glad that Harry was finally _her_ friend, instead of her older brother's friend. She laid her head on his shoulder and let out a contented sigh.

"Ginny?" he asked.

"Mmmm?" she answered sleepily.

"Thanks for today, I know it was you that arranged it, and I want you to know I really appreciate it."

"Sure." This was nice; she felt she could just drop off right here. He was idly tracing patterns on her shoulder with the arm he had around her.

"I didn't give you my present," she murmured, eyes closed.

"You didn't have to get me anything," he whispered back.

"I wanted to. I'll give it to you when we get upstairs."

They sat that way in companionable silence for some time, until the steady rise and fall of her chest let Harry know that the redhead in his arms had dozed off.

Smiling softly, he watched her sleep, still softly stroking her shoulder with his right hand. He loved just sitting here with her like this. It seemed just somehow . . . right. Like this was where he was supposed to be all along.

He realized, then and there, that he wanted very much to ask her out. But did she still have feelings for him? He didn't know. Sure, they'd held hands, and here he was holding her like this, but was it just something she did because he was a close friend?

Girls had never been Harry's strong point. He had no clue what he was doing when it came to that sort of thing. Maybe he should have a talk with Sirius about that later. They hadn't really talked in a while, since Harry kept his godfather blocked out most of the time when he was alone with Ginny. It was Sirius' fault anyway - he just couldn't learn to keep quiet with his disgustingly lewd insinuations about the two teens.

Ginny stirred suddenly. "Sorry," she murmured, reaching up a hand to rub her eyes. "Guess I drifted off."

"It's alright," Harry chuckled. "I don't mind." He glanced around briefly. "We'd better get back inside, though. It's getting dark."

"But I like it here," she whined. "Can't we just stay like this a while?"

"Come on now, no whining, Miss Weasly," he said mock-sternly. "We have to be getting inside now. Besides, I'm hungry."

"Men always think with their stomachs," she complained as she reluctantly got to her feet.

She ignored him all through dinner (they ate alone, since the Dursleys had eaten earlier), which he found very amusing. He tried many times to engage her in conversation, but she continued to pretend he didn't exist.

Finally, when they went back upstairs to his room, he decided to get her back. Grasping her from behind as she preceded him into the room, he tossed her onto her bed.

She squealed in fright and surprise as she suddenly found herself lifted well off the ground by his powerful arms. When she landed on the bed, she demanded angrily, "What'd you do that for?"

He didn't answer, instead climbing onto the bed with her to tickle her mercilessly.

She squirmed and squealed and beat her small fists on his chest, trying desperately to escape, but he just kept at it.

"Ignoring me, huh?" he laughed at her. "We'll just see about that, Miss Weasley."

She tried to speak, but managed only a few strangled words in between gulps of air. "Harry . . . stop . . . aaah . . . help!"

He finally let her go, and scrambled off the bed quickly.

She had to breathe deeply for a minute or two before she could finally growl, "I'll get you back for that one, Potter."

He grimaced. "I'm sure you will. You're certainly one to hold a grudge."

"Damn right," she said, still scowling.

"I don't suppose an apology would help?" he asked hopefully.

"Well . . ." she pretended to think about it for a minute. "You'd have to make it a really _good _apology. I doubt you can possibly grovel enough."

She was sitting on the edge of her bed, with her feet dangling over the side. He walked over and knelt in front of her, so that he was at her eye level. He took both of her hands in his own, looked directly into her eyes and said, "Ginny, I'm very, very sorry. I promise it won't happen again. Can you forgive me?"

He was staring at her with those brilliant emerald green eyes, and she found herself unable to tear her gaze away from his. "That was a really good apology," she whispered hoarsely.

"So am I off the hook?"

"Not entirely, but I won't torture you for the rest of your life at any rate."

"Well, thanks for that anyway," he said dryly. He got to his feet, pulling her with him, since their hands were still joined. "So what's this about a gift for me?" he asked.

She blushed. "Oh, it's just something I made. Nothing really big."

She walked over to her suitcase and pulled out a flat, square package tied up with a simple piece of string. She handed it to him, wringing her hands nervously as he opened it.

Grinning reassuringly at her, he carefully untied the string and unwrapped . . . a photo album. But this was not just any photo album; rather it was one full of wizarding pictures. He opened it and gasped. The pictures were mostly of Sirius, a few of them also including his parents.

"I-I knew you didn't have many of him," she stuttered nervously, "So I asked him for a few at Christmas last year. I was going to give it to you then, but I didn't finish it in time so I decided to wait 'till now."

Harry didn't answer. He was staring at the photos in front of him. Sirius may be in his head, but sometimes it wasn't the same as actually getting to _see_ him.

:Wow, I look better than I thought,: Sirius said.

-Shut up you self-absorbed old man.-

Butterflies were fluttering around in Ginny's stomach. What if he didn't like it? "Harry?" she inquired timidly.

He snapped out of his reverie to look at her once more. "Do you like it?" she asked.

"I love it," he whispered. "It's wonderful." He pulled her to him and hugged her fiercely. "Thank you so much, Gin."

Ginny made a startled motion, and pulled back from the hug to look at him again. _Gin?_ No one called her _Gin_; no one that wanted to live out the rest of the day, at any rate. She'd always hated that name. And yet, she found she didn't mind so much when Harry called her that. It sounded so . . . intimate and personal. Something only he could call her.

"You're welcome, Harry," she said. "I wasn't sure you'd like it."

"Of course I love it. Sometimes . . ." he paused, a far-off look in his eyes. "Sometimes it feels like he's right here, because he is. Yet sometimes it seems as if he's not, because it's just a disembodied voice in my head. I see him at night sometimes in dreams, but still." He looked down. "It's nice to see him like this."

He shook himself, and decided it was best to clean up after the 'party' they'd had. He waved his hand, and all the conjured paper cups, plates, and silverware vanished, as did the crumbs, bottles, and spilled butterbeer stains. Another wave and all of his gifts soared into his suddenly open trunk, except for his new photo album.

"Harry," Ginny suddenly said. "Why did Professor Dumbledore send you _two_ pensieves?"

He didn't meet her eyes, something she immediately took as a bad sign.

"I'll tell you tomorrow," he said. "It's not a pleasant topic, and this day was too wonderful to end on that kind of note."

"Alright," she said, gazing at him through narrow eyes, "But I expect a full explanation tomorrow. You're hiding something, Mr. Potter, and I want you to know you won't get away with it."

He flinched. "I'll tell you, I promise."

She nodded, satisfied with this answer, and they sat down to page through his new photo album together.

* * *

AN

PLEASE REVIEW! But be polite...

O.o they're getting closer. Will it be a fairy tale love when it happens?

NO! Pretty down to earth I think. Those two are too stubborn to avoid all the fights and I'm sure Voldemort will make a nuisance of himself. One more chapter till they admit their feelings though....then the next one we find out why this story is named what it's named.

Review responses below. If you're not in here, it's becauseI don't have anything _specific_ to reply to. Instead, I extend my deepest gratitude for reviewing my story.

**bree: **If you hadn't said it, I would never have guessed it's not your native language. I understand what you mean perfectly. Or at least, as well as I do with native speakers. Sometimes I misconstrue their meanings too, so it's not really your fault if I can't figure out what you're saying. I'm not sure yet about their children, I haven't decided whether it will take /that/ long or not. Oh, and I know I'm cruel, but there'll be several chapters done when I get back, I promise!

**UKnowULuvMe: **As specifically stated beforehand, this is a slightly Alternate Universe fic, therefore I don't have to hold true to the books in any way, shape, or form that I don't want to. JK Rowling stated on her website that she likes the creativity her work has inspired. I'm not doing what I think she'll do, I'm doing what I want to do.

Regarding Ron, I did nothing of the sort. That part of the chapter was written from Ginny's point of view, and she views him as an overprotctive goon. I was writing from a biased perspective.

Dumbledore is out of character in this story because I enjoy writing him that way. If you don't like it . . . find another story to read.

As for your comments regarding my love life, I would like to point out that I specifically and quite clearly stated in an earlier AN that I have never fallen in love nor even had a serious crush before, therefore I am 'flying blind' in that respect of this story. sarcasmThanks for bringing it up/sarcasm. And I didn't just suddenly have him like Ginny anyway. I portrayed it as him liking her slowly over the last year, he just didn't realize it until then. This actually _does_ fit with canon in that there are several instances in OotP where Harry notices odd things about her. If you actually pay attention, there are a fewnot sosubtle hints in the early chapters of this fic that indicate he may have a crush without knowing it.

Next time, review politely. Constructive criticism I can take. Flames I cannot.

**SeleneA: **now that would be telling, wouldn't it? We'll see. You know that Harry's going to be fighting in a war soon. Soldiers tend to get nightmares.....

**Silver Warrior: **Yep, she's about Ginny's age. Ginny was born in early to midAugust, so Katherine will actually be about 2 1/2 - 3 months younger. You know, I forgot about Sirius with regards to the Remus/Tonks thing. Maybe he'll have some comments next time Harry sees Remus. Thanks for pointing it out..................Tonks is his second cousin right? I think Andromeda was his first cousin. That whole family tree makes my head spin.

**Belladonna:** More Emily before summer's end. She's a fun character, but she's also difficult to write, since I'm trying to keep her relative amount of knowledge and intelligence (as well as speech capability and vocabulary) as realistic as I can. IHaven't been around a 5-year-old extensively in far too long. Did I mention I love kids?

**athenakitty: **1)Maybe. 2)Behave? Them? They'd have to die before they'd behave. Hey, that's actually not such a bad idea! 3)Not for a while. 4)She doesn't know he exists

**rakasha-wolf:** There you go. A brief description in this chapter for you.

**Marguerida: **DANG! I didn't think of that point about the carnival. Writing too fast for my own good. Oops.

**Potter and the Weasley: **I can't tell ya ;) big part of the story that. Oh, and Lily isn't in Harry's head because she didn't die saving him by going through the veil. People who go through the veil have stronger ties to earth, so combine that with his sacrifce to save Harry and he gets to come back.

**marick: **LOL


	16. Confession

AN

"I shall return!"

General Douglas MacArthur

Well, I'm back. My trip was boring, and I had only ONE FRICKIN HOUR A DAY to do some writing, and that so late at night that I drove myself to exhaustion. Why? Because my father's a bloody lunatic, that's why. Needless to say, I didn't get much done. I did promise you guys lots of chapters though, so I'm gonna write like a madman for the next week to make up for it. Right after I shake off this stupid jetlag of course.

full details of my trip are available if you want to email me for them. In fact, you can all email me for whatever reason. I like emailing my reviewers. You can find my address in my author profile.

thanks once more to JC-S, and to my wonderful beta Yavinbase. Both of them are completely awesome.

disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 16

Confession

That night, Ginny had another nightmare. Needless to say, they were both rather tired the next morning, and they went down to breakfast rather late.

"We'll skip going to the park today," Harry said around a mouthful of pancakes. "What we're going to do with the pensieve will take quite a bit out of us both anyway, I think."

Ginny gave him a very stern look. "And you had better let me know what all that is about soon, Mr. Potter."

Harry put his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. Relax, I will."

A short time later, they were sitting comfortably on opposite ends of Harry's bed, the pensieves between them.

"Right," Harry began. "You're going to be angry with me no matter how I put this, so I'll make it simple. I told Dumbledore you were having nightmares in the hopes that he could find some sort of solution. This is what he came up with."

She just gaped at him, her face a mixture of shock and anger. "How could you?" she finally managed. "I trusted you, and yet you went and told him?"

He hung his head sadly. "I know," he murmured, "I shouldn't have done it, but I just can't stand to see you suffer like this. I want so badly to help you, somehow, and regardless of my feelings towards the headmaster, he is one of the most knowledgeable wizards in the world. I knew if anyone could help you, it was him."

He looked up at her, a pleading look coming into his emerald green eyes, and her own eyes softened, if only just a little.

"I can't say I'm very happy with you," she said finally, "but I am touched that you're so concerned for me. Now what solution did he come up with?"

Relieved that she wasn't going to murder him on the spot, Harry set about explaining Dumbledore's idea. The pensieve's usefulness was twofold. Firstly, it would serve as a container into which Ginny could siphon some of her more painful memories of Tom Riddle and the diary. While it wouldn't erase them from her head altogether, it would at least deaden them somewhat, so they weren't so sharp and clear.

Secondly, the pensieve would serve as a means of dealing directly with the memories themselves. If Ginny so chose, she could go back and view her own memories from an outsider's viewpoint, the theory being that that would give her some perspective on the whole ordeal. In addition to her own memories, she could also view Harry's own memories of the final destruction of Tom and his diary.

Ginny had been unconscious when Harry destroyed Tom, so she had never actually seen him die. The fact that there wasn't actually a dead body did not help matters in the slightest. Harry hoped that seeing Tom die would give her some closure on the whole business.

"Right," she said firmly, "I'll give it a go then."

He could tell she was putting on an act, like she always did for her overprotective family. Trying to put on a show of bravery.

"It's ok to be afraid," he said softly. "You don't have to pretend you don't care."

"I'm not afraid," she whispered. "You're not afraid. You're never afraid."

"Oh but I am; all too often, in fact. I'm afraid that you or someone else I love will die. I'm afraid that I'll fail; that Voldemort will win; that the world will have placed its hopes on the wrong person. I'm always afraid."

She shook her head in stubborn disbelief. "You don't act as if you're afraid. You never show it."

"I don't let anyone see me afraid when I'm in a battle or some other dangerous situation. Regardless of how much I hate it, people look to me as their 'savior.' I have to be brave, so that they'll be brave. Yet, it's only pretend. Inside I'm as terrified as anyone else." His voice lowered so that she had to strain to hear him. "You don't have to pretend for me."

Her eyes became bright with unshed tears. She seemed to struggle with herself, unsure. "I don't want you to see those memories," she whispered, "But I don't want to face them alone, either."

"Let me help," he pleaded with her, taking both her hands in his own. "Trust me."

She gave a slight nod, finally letting go, trusting him with her deepest, darkest secrets.

He sighed deeply in relief, and showed her how to extract the memories from her head and place them in the shallow stone basin. She brought forth what seemed like an endless amount, and he raised one eyebrow slightly in surprise.

When she was finished, he held out his hand for hers. She grasped it tightly, determinedly, but her whole arm shook slightly. He reached his other hand for the silvery substance in the shallow stone basin, pulling both of them into her memories.

They were inside the pensieve for well over an hour. This completely surprised Harry. He had expected a few short memories, but it was far worse than that. Tom had not only had her go down into the Chamber, but apparently he had also pulled her into the diary, into various memories of his own. None of those memories were less than horrible. All of them featured him torturing innocent people or setting loose the Basilisk on the students.

Harry was not entirely convinced some of those memories weren't actually situations he had fabricated just to torture Ginny. Tom had only been 16 when the diary was made, after all, and Harry had a hard time believing he'd been able to deal out that much destruction that soon.

Still, it had the effect the Dark Lord had no doubt hoped it would. Before long, both the real Ginny and the Ginny in the memories were reduced to tears.

Harry put an arm around the real Ginny comfortingly, resisting, though barely, the powerful urge to take her away from the thing hurting her this way. She had to see this, to work through it.

Tom's tactics simply astounded Harry. The Dark Lord was a master of psychological warfare. He played on Ginny's deepest fears and her guilt for having been the one to cause all the attacks on the muggleborns. After he released her from the diary, he himself appeared, and though he was extremely faint and fuzzy, he was far more than a ghost. He proceeded to tell her in great, gory detail exactly how he planned to kill Harry when the boy arrived. He took a sick delight in informing her that _she_ was the reason Harry was going to die. The boy she had such a horrible crush on was going to die, practically at her own hands.

The memory-Ginny, already weakening from the effects of Riddle absorbing her life force, pleaded desperately with him not to kill Harry, but he just laughed at her.

The memory faded after that, and Harry and Ginny found themselves sitting on his bed once more. Ginny refused to meet his eyes, staring at the bedspread intently, the tears leaking down her face.

Harry reached over and placed a finger under her chin, lifting it up so that she had to look at him.

She looked for only a moment, and then looked away. Ashamed probably of letting Tom deceive her, of breaking down when she saw it all again.

"Look at me," Harry commanded. She did so reluctantly, wide-eyed. He gave her an encouraging half-smile and shook his head in disbelief "You brave, silly, wonderful girl. How have you kept that to yourself for so long?"

She started to say something, but he put a finger on her lips and shook his head. There was no need to say anything. He knew exactly what it was like. He gathered her into his arms, pulling her close and letting her use his shirt to dry her tears.

"The worst was you," she choked out, "Knowing he'd used me to get a hold of you. I thought I'd killed you." She buried her face in his neck, mumbling, "I'm always afraid he'll control me again. Use me for his own ends and I won't be able to stop him. I don't think I could take it if any of my family or . . . _you_ ended up dead because I couldn't beat him."

She knew Harry was the mostly likely target that Voldemort would use her to get to. He was already trying to do so, even if it was just by holding her hostage so he would come after her. That would be the worst, Harry getting killed and it being her fault. She knew then, clearer than ever that she loved this dark-haired, green-eyed boy holding her.

Yet, she was not comforted or overjoyed by this. Rather she felt as though she was being torn apart on the inside, knowing that he saw her only as a close friend; perhaps a sister. Why? Why did _he_ have to be the one she loved? The one who would never love her in return?

His voice startled her from her reflections. "I think I can help you there," he said.

She pulled back from him in surprise, and stared at him wide-eyed, trying not to get her hopes up.

"I can teach you to block your mind," he said, "to hold him at bay. He won't be able to control you. You can stop him."

She didn't know whether to believe it or not. Could it be possible? Yet, she trusted Harry; if he said it could be done, then it could be done.

She looked back at him hopefully. "Really?"

He nodded determinedly. "Really." He paused, took out his wand, and removed a single thought from his head and placed it in his own pensieve.

He asked her slowly, "Are you ready to see him defeated?"

She was uncertain, not sure she wanted to see any more, but Harry put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "I'll be right there with you," he said.

She relaxed once more, her resolve to face her fears returning full force. She nodded, so he took her hand again and touched the surface of the silver substance.

At first, Ginny stayed close to Harry, shivering at the sight of Tom Riddle and flushing with embarrassment at the sort of things he was telling the young-Harry about what she had written. Young-Harry's fight with the Basilisk, however, seemed to give her courage. Harry, at only 12 years old, had faced Riddle and his sixty-foot snake like a man. Surely she could face the memory of the Dark Lord like more than a little girl when she was almost fifteen.

She gazed at the older Harry in awe when she saw the memory of his younger self defeat the gigantic snake single-handedly.

When the memory Riddle and the diary were destroyed, she gasped and turned back to Harry. In the background, the younger Harry was waking up her own younger self.

"He's really gone, isn't he?" asked the older Ginny.

Harry nodded grimly. "He's gone. He can't control you any more."

Suddenly they were swirling back to the bedroom again. Within seconds, they were sitting once more on Harry's bed, watching each other from opposite sides of the two pensieves.

Ginny could hardly believe what she had just seen. Harry had risked so much to save her. _Her._ All she had been to him back then was the annoying little girl with a crush on him, yet she had just seen him fight Tom Riddle and a 60-foot snake for her. It was hardly even believable.

And the way he had fought! Ginny knew right then that Harry would never be a peaceful man. He was a warrior, through and through, and from the looks of it, he had been born that way. Before long, he'd be fighting in the war just getting started against the Dark Lord.

"But what about _him?_" she asked. "What if the, um, real Tom controls me? He's so much stronger than the Tom I knew was. And he's after me now, too."

"That's where I come in," Harry replied grimly. "I'm going to ensure that he can't do that to you again."

She wasn't sure she dared to hope that it could be true.

Harry put a hand on her arm, squeezing it slightly. "Trust me," he whispered.

"I do," she replied. And it was true. She trusted Harry with her life; she would trust him with her soul if needs be. There was no one she trusted more.

For a while after that, they traded some humorous memories to cheer each other up. Ginny showed Harry some of her early childhood. Growing up at the Burrow with six older brothers had certainly been quite an experience. Harry's favorite was one where the twins had gotten very angry with Ginny and bewitched rotten fruit to follow her around the back yard; splattering all over her on occasion.

In the end, Ginny lost her temper and her accidental magic kicked in, sending the fruit zooming back to the twins, who ran for nearly half an hour before Mrs. Weasley was able to lift the charm.

Ginny's favorite memory of Harry's, however, was the one where Harry tried to jump behind the kitchen garbage cans at his school, and ended up on the roof instead. For some reason, she found this to be hilarious, much to Harry's bemusement.

Later on that afternoon, they began Ginny's training in the art of defending the mind against outside intrusions. Sirius knew how to cast the Legilimens curse, so Harry, naturally, did as well. Knowing how to cast it and being able to cast it well are two completely different things, however, and his success was limited.

Eventually, he managed to get enough of a rudimentary understanding of the curse to cast it mildly effectively on her, thanks to one of the books from the library given to him by his parents.

He was certain that there was a better way than Legilimency to 'read' minds, just as there was a better way than Occlumency to defend the mind, but he wasn't sure how to go about learning such a thing, so he had to settle for the more primitive method for the time being.

Ginny, after placing some of her more private memories into her pensieve, tried to follow some of Harry's instructions. By dinnertime, she was completely drained by the lesson and still unable to block even Harry's clumsy attempts at intrusion into her mind.

Harry, on the other hand, insisted that she was doing quite well for her first attempt, and was utterly confident that she would have it down in no time. His faith in her cheered her up considerably, even if she was still doubtful.

The rest of the next week and a half passed in much the same fashion; they would go to the park in the morning to practice their martial arts skills, they would then eat lunch in the diner (Usually Ginny's least favorite part of the day, as the same waitress from their first visit would flirt outrageously with Harry at every opportunity). In the afternoons, they studied in Harry's library and then practiced their mind offensive and defensive exercises.

Harry rapidly grew more skilled with his Legilimency, but Ginny made little or no progress at keeping him out. Harry was still confident that she'd get it eventually. He was sure that all it would take was for him to start seeing some especially private moment and she'd fight back hard enough to kick him out. He didn't tell her this, of course, and she continued putting her more personal memories into her pensieve. It was only a matter of time until he found one she'd forgotten, for it was impossible for her to remember them all. Memories are tricky things, after all.

He felt guilty about wanting to invade her privacy in that way (and he grimaced at the thought of finding her kissing Corner in a broom closet), but he would do almost anything to ensure that she was protected in every way possible, including inside her own mind.

The best part of the day (in both their opinions, though neither told the other) was after their mind exercises, when they would go out to the garden bench and sit to watch the sunset.

Before they knew it, it was August 10th; the day before Ginny's 15th birthday. Unbeknownst to Ginny, Harry had snuck off to Diagon Alley when she was studying one day. There he had managed to find something for her. Something he had agonized over until he was pushing the limit on how long he could safely stay in the Alley without her knowledge.

It was Sirius' doing really that he had even bought it at all. One night, in the Marauder Realm, they had had a very serious conversation about Ginny.

**FLASHBACK**

"_You have to tell her, Harry," Sirius said, out of the blue._

_Harry was relaxing in Dumbledore's desk chair, while his godfather was sitting in the slightly less comfortable chair across from him. Obviously, the Marauder Realm consisted of the entirety of Hogwarts and its grounds._

_He started in surprise at Sirius' sudden statement, and stuttered, "Wha-tell who-wha-huh?"_

"_It's not fair to either yourself or her, kiddo," Sirius continued, as if his godson hadn't said anything at all. "Tell her how you feel."_

_Harry groaned. "Siri! We've been over this before! I don't think I'm ready to do this. I have to know if she still might fancy me before I do anything. If I tell her and she doesn't think of me that way, our relationship will be messed up forever. I'd rather have her as just a friend than us be that way."_

_Sirius shook his head amusedly. "You don't see it, do you?"_

"_See what?"_

"_Never mind." Sirius gave his godson a hard look. "Look, kiddo, you have to tell her. If you don't, you will always wonder what would've happened if you had." A faraway look came into his eyes, and he gazed off into nowhere. "You will regret it forever," he whispered._

"_Sirius? What's wrong?" Harry asked quietly. His godfather shook himself, muttering that it was nothing. Harry could tell there was more to it than that, but he dropped the subject._

"_I don't know how to tell her, Siri," he said. He had no experience with this sort of thing. He wasn't even entirely sure of his own feelings concerning Ginny. Was he falling in love with her? He had no idea. He'd never had anyone to love and be loved by before, not even a parent or sibling or close relative._

"_Just tell her what comes to mind," Sirius said. "I know it sounds corny, but just tell her what's on your heart. This sort of thing has to be weighing heavily on you, right?"_

_Harry thought about it for a moment and nodded. It certainly was. It would be an immense relief to come out into the open with this. Just tell her what was on his heart? Sure, no problem._

_Oh hell, who was he kidding? This was not going to go well. Still, he was determined to do it by now. When Harry Potter set his mind on doing something, it would take an entire army to stop him._

_After the Ritual with the stone from his family vault, an entire army might not even be enough to stop him._

"_Well then, if it's a burden on your conscience," Sirius said, "unburden it. It's not right to keep this sort of thing secret. No doubt that's what's bothering you. Just telling her what's on your mind should be plenty."_

_After that, the conversation turned to less terrifying matters than _feelings_ (like facing Voldemort for instance)._

**END FLASHBACK.**

And that was how Harry found himself practicing mind defenses with Ginny on the eve of her birthday, his pocket feeling very heavy with a small, golden heart-shaped locket on a chain. There was no picture inside yet - he thought they'd get one take if she agreed to go out with him - but there was an inscription. It read:

_Ginny-_

_Here's hoping I still hold a piece of your heart._

_-Harry_

He planned to confess everything to her (how to do so, he was putting off figuring out) and if she admitted to even the smallest possibility of her still fancying him, he'd give her the locket.

He tried very hard not to think of what he'd do if she didn't still fancy him.

He raised his wand and cried, "_Legilimens!_"

_He was watching enviously as six figures zoomed around on broomsticks. It wasn't fair. Mum wouldn't let him fly, just because he was a girl._

Harry withdrew himself from Ginny's mind at that point, her feeble attempts at blocking unable to keep him at bay.

Merlin, it was odd seeing things from the point of view of someone of the opposite gender.

He hoped she could get her mind blocked off soon. Not only because of Voldemort, but because seeing memories from a female perspective was just plain disturbing.

He shook himself out of his thoughts to find Ginny looking extremely frustrated with herself.

"Don't worry about it, Gin," he encouraged her, "You can do it. Just relax."

Unaware that he had practically melted her into a puddle of incoherent goo by calling her by his special nickname, he raised his wand once more and shouted, _"Legilimens!"_

_They were sitting on the garden bench, his arm around her. She softly laid her head on his shoulder and let out an inaudible sigh. It was a bittersweet moment; for while it was wonderful being close to the man she loved so much, it hurt to know that he did not think of her the same way she thought of him. Was she going to spend the rest of her life like this, as nothing more than his friend? Why-_

"NO!" Ginny cried desperately, trying to throw him from her mind. She forgot to take that memory out - he wasn't supposed to see that.

Harry felt himself suddenly hurled across the room, straight into the wall. Only the reflexes of a natural-born seeker saved him from serious injury, as he cast cushioning charms at the wall behind him before impact.

He leapt to his feet, crying out exuberantly, "You did it!"

Ginny, on the other hand, burst into tears and fled from the room. The full impact of what he had seen in her mind, forgotten for a moment in lieu of her success, came rushing back to Harry all at once, and he had to sit down.

She wasn't over him; in fact she still had very deep feelings for him, perhaps even loved him. She thought he didn't like her that way, and it was hurting her to be so close and yet so far from him.

After he had ignored her for so long, he had still managed to hurt her when they became friends. Merlin, he was an idiot.

:So much for planning to tell her tomorrow: Sirius commented wryly.

Harry hardly even heard him, simply staring numbly at a knot on one of the floorboards.

:Well what are you waiting for? Get your sorry arse down there and tell her the truth:

Harry jumped a foot into the air in surprise, then came to his senses and rushed for the door to find Ginny.

With Sirius' help, he had already made a map of Privet Drive and several of the surrounding streets. Similar to the Marauder's Map, it showed every person nearby for who they were, regardless of Polyjuice Potion, animagus form, or invisibility. The main difference was that it corrected that problem with the original. Now it not only stated the person's true identity, but it also stated what form of disguise they were using (if any).

It wasn't finished (for instance, it still managed to confuse animagus and metamorphmagus quite frequently) but it was enough for him to discover the fact that Ginny was hiding behind the hedge in the backyard.

He went straight there and leapt over it, plopping himself down beside her. Her cheeks were a lovely shade of crimson, and she studiously avoided his gaze.

Now that he was there with her, the butterflies started fluttering in his stomach. Unsure of what to say, he looked away from her and out towards the horizon. It was nearly sunset, and the sky was starting to turn red. For some odd reason, the little catchphrase about sailors came to mind. What was it again? Oh yes, 'Red sky in morning; sailors take warning. Red sky at night; sailor's delight.'

Sweet Merlin, he was rambling in his thoughts. This was bad. How the hell was he going to confess his feelings to Ginny if he couldn't even overcome his nervousness enough to straighten out his thoughts?

Her voice shook him from his reverie.

"You weren't supposed to see that."

His head snapped around to look at her. She was still avoiding his eyes, but he could see a few tears streaming down her cheeks.

He longed to wipe her tears away, but he could tell she had more to say, so he let her go on.

"I guess I might as well just say it," she continued, "I love you, Harry. I've loved you for a while now. I got over that stupid little schoolgirl crush, and went and fell for you for real the moment I got to really know you." She sighed. "You weren't supposed to know that, not when you don't feel the same way."

The tears were coming down harder now, and she tried to rise to her feet and leave. He reached out and put a hand on her arm. "Wait," he said.

She stopped and sat back down, still not looking at him.

"Look at me," he said. She did so, finally, reluctantly. "What makes you think I don't?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head sadly. She knew what he was doing. Harry was so noble; he'd even pretend to like her just so she wasn't upset. It was one of the things she loved about him, but that was beside the point. She didn't want his pity, and she didn't want him to pretend.

"Because," she said, "I'm not pretty, or smart, or strong. I don't deserve you. You need someone wonderful, and I'm just plain old ordinary Ginny Weasley; just your friend."

"No," he said firmly, "You're wrong. You _are_ brilliant, and funny, and a powerful witch. You have this adorable way of wrinkling your nose when you're amused, and your eyes flash when you're angry."

He didn't know what he was saying any more, the words just seemed to come tumbling out before he could stop them.

"You always know exactly what to say to remind me what's important, and I think you're the most beautiful girl in the world." He reached out a hand and touched her cheek with one finger. "You've always been there for me, haven't you? I just didn't know it. I've been such a fool, Gin, how can you possibly still love me?"

He didn't even wait for her to answer, plunging straight on, unable to stop the flow of words from his mouth. "I'm not sure when exactly it happened, but some time over the last year I started to fall for you. The minute you became my friend, I didn't even have a chance. I haven't been entirely honest with you. The reason you're here at Privet Drive is because Voldemort knows about my feelings for you. I think he knew what was there before even I did."

Her cheeks were flushed so red that they nearly blended into her hair. She cast her eyes downward as he continued. "Sirius has been urging me for weeks to tell you, but I just couldn't work up the nerve. I didn't know whether you still liked me or not, and I didn't want to mess things up."

He placed his first two fingers under her chin and raised it up so that she was looking at him again. "I think I'm falling in love with you, Ginny Weasley," he whispered. A single tear tracked its way down her cheek at his words.

A sudden urge came over him, and he slowly lowered his head to gently place his lips on hers.

* * *

AN 

PLEASE REVIEW!

I know I know. I made it too fairy-tale like. I can't help it; that's the only way I know how to write it. Hopefully I can make it up by having a big fight soon. That should bring things down to earth.

Some of you were missing Sirius, so I brought him back a little. I'd just like to say, fading him away was intentional. Harry spending so much time with Ginny, he naturally wouldn't want his godfather intruding. Not permanent, but definitely something that I've been doing for this summer that they're spending together.

chapter 17 up as soon as I get it shipped off to beta and edited.

I would like to thank ALL of my reviewers with the utmost sincerity. Things needing particular addressing are listed in the review responses below.

**nisha: **well, he doesn't like his godfather in his head when he's with the girl he likes, so he blocks him out a lot. There will probably be somewhere between 40 and 50 chapters in all in this story, and I post each chapter the minute it is completed and betaed. this can take a short time or a long time.

**thephantom114:** ah, good guess on Gin's roommate, but no. Katherine is someone neither Harry nor Ginny (nor any of the characters) have met yet. She lives in America.

**pink gecko:** I probably will have it go long enough for them to have kids, since I like stories where they get married and have a family. Can't guarantee it though. I'll have to do some research on pregnancy though...my mom's done it six times, she's a likely choice. Oh man, that'll be an embarrassing thing to ask my mom about.

**B-A-HPlova22:** yep, that's what it was for, as you can see in this chapter.

**Silver Warrior: **Oh yeah, he'll be easy on the eyes alright. Most Eligible Bachelor material in fact. I like doing that because it leaves vast opportunity for Ginny to be possessive. She'll be really insecure in their new relationship, so a bump along those lines will be on its way soon I'm certain.

**john:** aargh. I just knew someone was gonna spot that. basically, I don't really know about that. my explanation is that they saw him blow up Marge because they were watching his house. conveniantly enough, they neglected to tell him that he could do wandless magic. of course, the reason he escaped them standing outside his house is because he didn't want to be found (wandless magic again)

**Treck:** 1) Can't tell ya that. I do promise I won't pull one of those 'even Voldemort doesn't deserve to die' routines and put him in prison. 2) 40-50 I think. not really sure at this point.


	17. A Kiss, a Fight, and a Date

AN

This took way longer than I thought, and I apologize for that. Two reasons for that really: 1. The chapters are averaging about 5k words now, and that's just LONG to write and edit. 2. I had to re-write a large portion of this because I didn't like the way it turned out.

I know I promised we'd get to see the reason for the title of this fic in this chapter, but it didn't turn out that way. I tried, I really did, but it just got to be too long and I've split this chapter into two different ones. NEXT chapter will be where we get to see it. Coincidentally, those of you starving for action in this fic will get to see a battle of sorts in the next chapter as well.

Now, we get Harry and Ginny's first little spat in this chapter, nothing major I promise. I hate it when they split up for days, weeks, or months because of a fight in other fics.

Thanks once more to my beta/idea man/brother, JC-S, and to my beta Yavinbase, without whom this story would be a wreck.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 17

A Kiss, a Fight, and a Date

It was not a passionate kiss. Rather it was slow, and soft. Afterwards, neither one of them could recall much of anything about it other than how wonderful it was. It seemed to last an eternity and a nanosecond all at once.

The world, for them, seemed to be ending and beginning at the same time. Time? Time did not exist. Nothing existed but them.

Without even realizing it, both of them closed their eyes. Ginny's arms slid up around Harry's neck, and his went around her waist, and he drew her almost into his lap.

Harry felt a rush of something throughout his entire body as he pulled back just slightly from her. He paid it no mind, however, too wrapped up in the redhead in his arms. Reluctant to end the moment, he kept his eyes closed and leaned his forehead against hers.

He did not know it, but the strange rushing sensation was caused by his magic. One of the two most powerful emotions had just permeated his entire being, and caused a power surge in his magical signature. The resulting power spike knocked out electricity in every house for fully 100 miles in every direction. Muggle technicians were never able to determine the cause of this phenomenon.

"Harry?" Ginny asked. He opened his eyes to find hers staring at him. She started to say more, but he shushed her. This was no time for words.

He looked around and found it completely dark outside. The stars were out, and there was not a single cloud in the entire sky. He shifted so that she was sitting next to him on the ground, and he had his arm around her. She hesitated for only a moment, then snuggled contentedly into his chest and laid her head on his shoulder.

He rested his own head on top of hers, and they lay that way for quite some time, watching the stars.

After a while, Harry asked, "Gin?"

"Hmm?" she murmured sleepily.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

Her eyes opened wide, but she didn't move. "Yes. Yes, Harry, I will," She whispered.

He grinned, and kissed her once more. Eventually, he separated his lips from hers and lay back contentedly. They fell asleep that way; in each other's arms, out under the summer night sky.

When Ginny awoke the next morning, she was reluctant to get out of bed, thinking the whole thing had just been a dream. The gentle press of a pair of lips on her forehead brought her back to reality, and her eyes snapped open in surprise.

A pair of bright, emerald green eyes greeted her. It wasn't a dream then, and she wasn't in her bed. She had fallen asleep outside with her new boyfriend. Not just any boyfriend either, but the boy she'd had a crush on since she was a little girl; the young man she had fallen in love with. His face was just above her, a sappy smile lighting it up. "Good morning, beautiful," he said.

Though her face flushed at his words, he could tell she didn't think he really meant them. He started to say something more, but stopped himself. He had already told her he thought she was beautiful; the best thing he could do now was just keep on telling her so. Perhaps one day she would finally believe it.

This low self-esteem thing was something he would have to help her with. Being the only girl in a large family that didn't live very near anyone else, Ginny had never been outgoing nor had very many friends. Her best friend for years had been Ron, and he hadn't had any time for her after he came home from his first year at Hogwarts.

After everything that occurred in her own first year, she hadn't had many friends at Hogwarts, either. Luna and Colin were the only people she really hung out with.

Harry knew all of this was true from the many conversations the two had had over the last couple of weeks, and he knew it had made Ginny very shy around other people, and also very insecure about herself. It was true; she wasn't the curviest girl in school, but that mattered very little to Harry.

Ginny started to move, but Harry held her tighter and said, "It's early yet, let's stay out here a while."

She had no problem with that, so she lay back down beside him and snuggled into his chest. She still half-expected to wake up at any moment, and was therefore determined to enjoy this as long as possible.

* * *

That afternoon, the two of them went for a walk. They spotted an older woman that was one of Tonks' favorite disguises. She gave them a cheeky wink and a thumbs up, which they took to mean she somehow knew they had gotten together. 

They walked over to her, and she stared pointedly at their joined hands the whole way. Before she could say anything, Harry asked, "How are things with Remus?"

That was enough to distract her, and she blushed furiously, muttering that it was none of his business.

"That well?" Harry continued cheekily. "I didn't expect him to come around so soon. You must have done an excellent job on him."

She blushed even harder, so Harry relented and instead asked her about the Order. Remus had filled him in the day before, so she knew nothing that he didn't, and the young couple bid Tonks good-bye and continued on their way.

Tonks watched them go with a little bit of envy. She had been watching the two of them for the last few weeks, and she had seen them sleeping outdoors that morning. The closeness they had come to in such a short time simply astonished her. She wished it could be that way for herself and Remus.

She knew without a doubt that Harry and Ginny had found their soul mates in each other. Finding your soul mate was rare. Most people went through their entire lives without ever meeting their exact match, and even those that did didn't always know it or act on it. It was slightly more common in the magical world than the muggle one, for the magic within wizards seemed somehow to make them more attuned to such things (particularly among the women), but it was still quite rare.

She didn't delude herself into thinking Remus was her soul mate. They were compatible, but they didn't fit together like two pieces of one whole. They were quite happy, however, and she shook the brief feeling of envy away forcefully, just glad that both Harry and Ginny had finally found a little happiness together in this dark time.

* * *

"Harry?" Ginny asked. He looked at her expectantly, so she continued, "Aren't you afraid of what Ron might say? About, you know, _us?_" She started her use of the word. Were they an 'us' now? He had only asked her to be his girlfriend the night before, yet it seemed as if they had been together far longer. The more she thought about it, the more she realized they had practically acted like a couple for weeks before they got officially together. The only difference now was that they were 'official' and they had kissed. 

Looking back now with a clear head, she realized she should have seen that Harry liked her. It was as plain as day, practically written all over his actions in bright red letters. She had just refused to see it, refused to hope; so convinced was she that he would never like her like that.

Harry had been thinking along much the same line as her when her voice interrupted him. He gave a start, and thought about what she said for a moment. Finally he said, "Nah, of course not. Actually, I think he wants us to get together. He gave me a funny look on the train when he said next time you should choose someone 'better.' I didn't realize at the time, but I'm pretty sure he meant me. Even if he didn't, though, I wouldn't care. He's too protective of you anyway."

"No argument there," she said angrily. "You'd think I was still eleven or something. He hasn't left me alone since the Chamber."

Harry snorted in agreement and they walked in silence for some time. Eventually, Ginny said, "Harry, there's something I don't understand. What about Tom? Don't take this the wrong way, but you do have this thing about protecting people. I would've thought you'd try to stay away from me because of some crazy idea that it would keep me safe."

"Do you want me to?" he asked.

"NO!" she almost shouted; then went on more quietly, "I don't think I could stand it if you did that, I'm just curious."

He blushed a little and muttered something she couldn't hear. When she asked him to repeat himself, he said again more loudly, "I haven't been completely honest with you." Her eyes narrowed, so he went on as fast as he could, thinking it was best to get it over with. "He didn't see the memory of the Chamber that night, he saw the memory of me going to see you at the Burrow a few weeks ago. He knew how I really felt about you before even I did." He paused and shivered in the bright sunlight. "That's actually pretty creepy. Anyway, I guess you could say it's too late. He already knows that it would take an army to keep me from you; you not being my girlfriend won't change that. At least this way I can protect you."

She dropped his hand and stopped short, causing him to walk a pace ahead and turn back to her in surprise. "What is it?" he asked.

She was glaring at him. "Protect me? Protect me? That's what this is? I don't need you to be my boyfriend so you can protect me, Harry Potter. I can take care of myself."

She stalked off, and he ran after her calling for her to wait. "Stay away from me!" she cried.

He stopped and forlornly watched her head back to the house. _Dear Merlin_ he was an idiot. They hadn't even been together 24 hours and he'd already made a mess of things. What was he going to do now?

* * *

After wandering aimlessly around for a while, Harry decided to head back and talk things over with Ginny. Sirius' advice on the subject was to not let an argument stand between them for too long. It was best to work through it as soon as possible, or they would regret it later. 

Slightly reassured by the knowledge that his parents had had little arguments like this all the time, Harry peeked cautiously into his room. She was nowhere in sight, but the curtains around her bed were drawn.

He walked slowly over to it and paused, unsure of just what to say.

"Ginny?" he finally managed to ask.

There came no answer, and he deflated rapidly. But, after a moment, he gathered his courage and went on, "I'm sorry. That was a really stupid thing to say. I didn't mean it the way it sounded."

Still, she said nothing, so he said, "I only want to protect you because I care about you; not because I don't think you can't take care of yourself."

The hangings finally parted, and her head poked out. She stood up and came over to him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Do you really mean that?" she asked.

"Of course I do," he said, taking her into his arms for a long kiss. When they came up for air, he added, "Don't ever doubt that."

"I'm so sorry, Harry," she said, "I don't like fighting with you, but I just had this stupid idea that you only wanted to be with me to protect me; not because you really fancied me."

It was stupid, she knew. Stupid and irrational; the whole reason he even felt he needed to protect her was because he cared for her. Yet, she just didn't seem to be able to shake the idea that Harry could ever love someone as plain and ordinary as her.

"You're right," Harry said.

"What?"

"I said, 'you're right,' " he repeated. "It was a stupid idea."

She giggled and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him again; wrapping her arms around his neck as his arms went around her waist.

A sudden thought occurred to him as they broke the kiss, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out the locket he'd bought several days earlier. It was in a black velvet box, and he fiddled with it nervously as he said, "Um, this is for you. When I got it I didn't know if you still liked me so . . . er . . . here. Happy Birthday."

He handed it to her, flushing with embarrassment. She giggled at him, also flushing. "Oh, Harry, you didn't have to buy me anything."

"I wanted to!" he protested, as she opened it. She stared at the locket for a long moment, and he asked nervously, "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful," she pronounced. She read the inscription and put a hand on her chest. "Oh, that's so sweet. Thank you, Harry." She kissed him again, and then whispered in his ear, "You'll _always_ hold a piece of _my_ heart."

The feeling of her hot breath in his ear made him shiver, and he stared at her.

"Hey," he said suddenly, "Let's get out of here. It's your birthday; I'm gonna take you on a real first date. How's that sound?"

"A date with Harry Potter?" she asked. "Sounds like a dream come true."

Within moments, Harry had Flamed them to a side street in Diagon Alley, and they were walking down the magical main street hand in hand. Fortunately, there was not much of a crowd, though Ginny noticed more than one teenage girl shooting her envious or hostile glances.

She groaned aloud and said, "Now I'm going to have to put a block on my mail."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Ginny motioned to a nearby group of girls who would most likely be in fourth or fifth year at Hogwarts. "I'm going to get a load of hate mail now. By tomorrow there'll be newspaper reports on us holding hands in public. Everyone will know we're together."

He shrugged. "So? People thought I was dating Hermione in fourth year, but her hate mail only lasted a week or so before they forgot about the whole thing."

She stared at him openmouthed, and he asked defensively, "What?"

"You really don't know?" He shook his head. "Harry," she said exasperatedly, "Things have changed since the media attention you got last year. You were put in _Witch Weekly_ last month as the most eligible teen bachelor in all of England; after it was found out you inherited the Black fortune. Half the girls in Hogwarts have been watching you grow up for the last two years, and are just waiting to make their move. And that was _before _your whole new look from this summer. I can't imagine what it will be like this year."

Harry was shocked speechless for a couple minutes, but he finally managed to say, weakly, "Can I take that as a roundabout way of you telling your boyfriend you think he's pretty cute?"

She slapped his arm lightly. "Yes," she whispered in his ear, then more loudly, "I'm just glad you're _my_ boyfriend now. You have no idea what it was like to listen to every girl in my year and above go on and on about how hot you are, when I'm madly in love with you."

Saying that to him felt strange. She'd been hiding it for so long, it was a different experience to admit it; particularly to him.

"Well of course you are," he said arrogantly, "I am completely irresistible after all." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at her.

Ginny decided to tease him back just a bit. "You keep right on thinking that, dear," she said, patting him on the arm indulgently, as if he were a small child. "But I know the truth; you're only desirable because you're rich." She winked.

Harry scowled and muttered something under his breath, but Ginny just giggled at him.

After a few minutes, they reached Fred and George's new shop. The outside was covered in horribly bright colors and flashing neon signs they'd gotten from their father that displayed ridiculous slogans and products. Laughing, the young couple decided to stop in and say hello.

The door made a very loud, very rude sound when they entered the empty shop, causing George – who was at the counter – to look up from the newspaper he was reading. His face lit up when he saw who had entered, and he immediately shouted, "FRED! WE HAVE IMPORTANT GUESTS! I'M CLOSING UP!"

He gleefully slammed his hand down on a huge, red button next to the till. Sirens immediately wailed and bright red emergency lights flashed. Bars slammed down behind the windows at the front, and a thin metal wall fell right behind them.

Almost as an afterthought, a small neon sign proclaiming, 'BUGGER OFF! WE'RE CLOSED!' winked on outside.

Startled by all of this, Ginny pressed closer to Harry and gripped his arm, a fact that did not go unnoticed by her elder brother. George was about to comment when his identical twin came rushing into the room.

"Who is it?" Fred demanded excitedly, panting heavily with exertion. He spotted Harry and Ginny standing by the door and clapped his hands together gleefully. "Well if it isn't our illustrious investor. What brings you – and our darling baby sister – here on this fine day?"

Before Harry had time to reply, or Ginny had time to lash out for being called a baby once more, George interrupted. "By the looks of it, I'd say our baby sister is our on a date with her dearest." He came and stood next to his twin, a positively evil smile on his face.

Fred's face soon matched George's smirk for smirk, and he said mock-thoughtfully, "Indeed, I must say I agree, my esteemed colleague. I can see the signs now."

George nodded sagely. "Yes, you can see the way they're pressed closely together,"

"With their hands clasped," added Fred.

"And their cheeks flaming," concluded George. "Yes, the only question is; how long has this been going on?"

Both of the younger teens were indeed blushing furiously, Ginny managing to scowl at her brothers and blush at the same time.

"Since last night," Harry finally managed, then braced himself for a big brother talk from the two of them.

To his surprise, they took aside not him, but Ginny.

"We're very happy for you, Ginny," Fred was saying.

"But, if you hurt him," George added, "We'll never forgive you."

Harry was dumbfounded, and Ginny looked much the same. He said confusedly, "I thought _I_ was the one you would be giving that speech to."

Fred waved a hand dismissively. "Please, Harry. If you really hurt Ginny, we'll be lucky to get to pick up the tiny, charred pieces of you left over after _she's_ finished with you. Threatening you is pointless."

Harry gulped, looking at the beautiful, fiery redhead standing next to her brothers. That may be true, but she was certainly worth it.

"Harry is a strong person, Ginny," Fred whispered in her ear, so Harry couldn't hear. "But I doubt he'll love more than once in his life. If he truly comes to love you, and you do anything to hurt him; it will destroy him more effectively than anything Voldemort could do."

She stared at him in disbelief, and he asked, "What? We're not just a couple of pranksters you know. George and I discussed this recently, and this is the conclusion we came to. We have serious sides, believe it or not. And Harry's inspired us to say the name now, by the way."

The twins showed both of them around the shop, explaining various items. Harry was amazed at the sheer amount of stock they had on hand, and with the brilliance of some of their items. His Galleons certainly hadn't been wasted on Fred and George.

The back room was full of interesting (and perhaps often illegal) items they were using for testing and producing of their products.

The twins started to promise that they would refrain from telling Mrs. Weasley about the little 'outing,' until Ginny pointed out that she and Harry had already been photographed walking together before they reached the shop. If the whole Order didn't already know, they would know the next day when the _Prophet_ was published.

Thought this worried her greatly, Ginny noticed that Harry seemed to show no concern over it whatsoever.

"How can you be so calm about this?" she asked, somewhat irked, as they bid Fred and George good-bye.

He blinked. "About what?"

"Tomorrow my parents are going to know we left your house without permission, and so will Professor Dumbledore."

He shrugged unconcernedly. "I'm not worried about Dumbledore. He's not my teacher – as it's summer, – he's not my parent, and he's not my legal guardian. He has no say in what I do or do not do. Hell, I'm not even really in the Order, so he can't give me orders from that standpoint. As for your parents; well, I asked them if they trusted me to take care of you, and they told me that they do."

He put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "As long as you're near me, you're safe. Voldemort won't be trying to attack me any time soon, because he's not sure he can kill me. He'll wait until he thinks he's found a way before he gives it another attempt. If your parents don't realize this, then I have only to tell them. I'm sure they'd believe me." He winked. "Besides, they already gave me permission to date you; I hardly think they can find fault with me for actually taking you out!"

She gaped at him. "You asked them for permission to date me? When?"

"After that Order meeting following the attack in Diagon Alley," he said. He laughed at the expression on her face, and said, "I told you, I've liked you for a while now. Longer even then I realized."

They stopped for a sundae (to share) at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Fortescue gave Harry a mischievous wink when they ordered this, and Harry flushed and winked back.

They were only halfway through their cold, sweet dessert when a most unwelcome voice came from behind them.

"Ah, Potter, taken in the Weaslette I see. How much did you have to pay for her? Not much, I imagine, Weasleys have always settled for very little."

Harry nearly groaned aloud in frustration. Did Malfoy _ever_ come up with new material?

Outwardly keeping his cool, he sprang from his seat and whirled to face the blond, teenage Slytherin.

He pasted a fake, pleased expression on his face, and rushed over to take Malfoy's hand firmly into his for a handshake. Flanked as usual by his two cronies, Malfoy blinked in surprise, then winced in pain as Harry flexed his relatively new muscles; crushing the hand in his.

"Draco!" he called out with fake pleasure, "So lovely to see you! How's the family? Mum's well I hope?" He smirked. "How's your father? Oh wait." He pretended to look sorrowful. "I'm sorry. I forgot, he's in _Azkaban_, isn't he?"

Malfoy wrenched his hand out of Harry's grip, scowling in mingled pain and anger. "Just you wait, Potter," he spat, "soon my father will be freed, and the Dark Lord will have his way. All of you mudbloods and blood traitors will be killed." His eyes wandered over to where Ginny was now standing just behind Harry, and he looked her up and down. "Eventually."

Ginny growled angrily, and would've taken a step forward to do something rash, but Harry put a hand out to stop her. He leaned in close to Malfoy, and whispered so only the boy could hear him, "Be thankful that you haven't taken the Mark yet, Malfoy, or you would regret that statement. I warn you; if you harm my girlfriend in any way, there is no force in existence on earth that can keep me from killing you." He stared straight into those gray eyes with his own emerald green ones, willing Malfoy to know that it was true. "I swear it."

Malfoy turned even paler than normal and took a step back in fright. He looked in vain to his two bodyguards, but he could not risk having them do anything. They were in a public place, and many of the Parlor's patrons were already staring at the scene being made.

He squeaked out a 'let's go,' to Crabbe and Goyle, and the three of them hurried back out to the street.

Harry sighed and turned back to his girlfriend, who was glaring at him. "Why did you stop me?" she demanded. "I can take care of my own problems."

Harry sighed again and plopped back into his seat. "Look, it's not that I don't agree with you, but there are three of them and only one of you. I had to warn him to leave you alone so that when I'm not around, he reconsiders trying something."

She scowled. "I already told you I don't need you to protect me, Harry Potter."

Harry glared right back at her, and hissed, "Dammit, Ginny! This is not a game where you have score more points than your brothers to prove you're as good as them! Your life, _or worse_ considering the way he was looking at you, could be at stake here. I know you can take care of yourself. Can't you let me take care of you too? I-I care about you, Gin."

When he first started speaking, her eyes widened at his tone of voice. Harry had never spoken to her that way before. When he said the last bit, her eyes softened and she almost cried.

She plopped down in the seat beside him. "I'm sorry, you're right. I'm just so tired of being smothered by my mum and my brothers. Even dad's always considered me to be a little girl. They never let me try to just be myself."

He pulled her into his arms for a hug. "I know," he said, "I promise I won't be that way. Your problems are my problems, and vice versa."

"Now that's not entirely true," she accused him, pulling back from his embrace. "You're going to face Tom all by yourself. I know there's no way you're going to allow me to help you with that."

He shook his head. "You just don't understand, do you?" She blinked, not comprehending. He went on, "I'll never be able to face him without you. Knowing you love me is the only way I'll ever be able to stand right in front of him and finish it all. My emotions are my strength, and the ones concerning you are the strongest of all. You do help, even if you don't know it."

He lowered his head to hers for a gentle kiss, and the world around them fell away. They no longer knew the other patrons around them pretending not to watch. They no longer knew the sunlight streaming through the windows of the shop. All they knew was each other.

* * *

Two blissful weeks passed, and before they knew it, it was the day before their trip to Hogwarts. Looking back, Ginny knew it had been the most wonderful two weeks of her life, and she didn't want it to be over. All good things come to an end, however, and soon she and Harry were heading over to the Stevenson's for a last visit with Emily. 

The little girl was absolutely ecstatic to see them, and she took special delight in giving them her own tour of her house. Her favorite part was her room, and she seemed to be determined to show them every detail of it.

After that, the three of them sat down for tea with Emily's parents.

"So where do the two of you go to school?" Mrs. Stevenson asked.

Ginny and Harry gave each other panicked glances, before Harry said quickly, "We go to a private boarding school in Scotland."

Inwardly wondering what a 'boarding school' was supposed to be, Ginny nodded emphatically in agreement.

"Oh really?" Mr. Stevenson put in interestedly. "I have a co-worker that sends his kids to a school up that way. What's your school called?"

"Er," Harry said, "I don't think it'll be the same one. Ours is kind of . . . reclusive. Not a lot of people have heard of it."

Mr. Stevenson started to reply, but a loud crash interrupted whatever he was going to say.

Emily had been attempting to get a hold of the plate of candy on the table for the last couple minutes, but her mother kept pushing it away and telling her 'no,' under her breath.

Growing redder and redder in the face by the second, little Emily was on the edge if throwing a temper tantrum when the plate in her mother's hand suddenly shattered into several pieces, startling all those present, and cutting off her father in mid-conversation.

Embarrassed, Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson tried to apologize and explain what had happened.

"It's quite alright," Harry said immediately. "Does that sort of thing happen often?"

Their panicked looks told him all he needed to know, and Harry said, "Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson, one day about six years from now, a very strange man or woman will show up at your door and tell you some even more strange things that you won't want to believe. When that happens, remember us."

They bid the family good-bye a short time later, and Emily gave hugs to both Harry and Ginny. "Will I ever get to see you again?" she wanted to know.

Harry winked at her. "Stranger things have happened to me. We'll see." And with that, they waved a final farewell and left.

* * *

AN 

TA-DA!

Well waddya think? Please let me know, I LOVE reviews, particularly long ones. Now, don't get me wrong, I love reviews that say 'great chapter, loved it,' or something like that, but reviews where there's some even more extensive feedback/constructive criticism are even better, because I get a better idea of what you like and don't like. it helps me write the next chapters.

ok, this chapter was still pretty light and fluffy, but next chapter we get into the controversial stuff where I may just lose some readers. I hope not, but you never know. I can't please everyone all the time after all.

review responses:

**firebirdgs:** thanks! 1). I shall certainly try, though I can't guarantee I will. If I can't make him believable, I'll omit him rather than him be stupid. 2) Maybe a little in later chapters, I think she got a pretty good comeuppance in book 5, but the fact that she's not in prison irks me. 3) His mind will wander in classes since he knows most everything, but he has to attend so that no one knows he's going to America to train in secret. 4) Can't tell ya that ;) 5) hmmm, maybe I will, I don't know. My dad does some work in Mexico, but I've never been. I haven't decided where in the US Harry will go yet, so I guess we'll see. Maybe he'll end up close to the border. 6) I don't know yet. Like I said, the timeline for the fic is long enough that I _could_, but that doesn't mean I will. If I do, it won't be a huge piece of the plot, just something you would expect from two people who are of age and love each other very much.

Recently, I've come to enjoy a little bit of L/J shipping fics, so I am expanding my horizons just a bit, but I'll keep your suggestion in mind. thank you. I have read Maxfic's _Gift from the Past, Promise for the Future_, which I think is one of my favorite stories. I don't thinkI've read any of his other stuff, though I probably should.

pranks rock, therefore they shall be prevalent. everyone seems to love them, and personally, F and G are my favorite characters period.

I do enjoy what I am doing, and it's certainly a good thing, or you lot would be left hanging where you are. It's a lot of work to write, but immensely enjoyable and satisfying at the same time.

**voided:** thanks, glad you do. Emily isn't his sister, as his sister is Ginny's age.

**HeWhoComesWithTheDawn:** ah, now that's a big secret. can't tell ya. You'll find out eventually.

**Silver Warrior:** lol. Thanks, and I agree. No real big argument, but a lover's spat or two eh?

**bree:** Don't worry, it wasn't a big fight, and the rest was pretty fluffy. this is the end of the completely lighthearted chapters though, I'm afraid. After this, it gets darker, though there is love on the road to war! my trip was quite boring, but thank you for asking!

**SlytherinRulesDracoIsMyGu:** Sirius is one of my favorite characters as well, which is why in both my longer stories he's a character that's alive and well...or sort of anyway. Glad you like it, I promise to keep him in the fic.

**David M. Potter: **I know, I picked it right up from where I left off with this next chapter. Like it?

**Briea:** ah, this is pretty much the end of the summer bit. We have a long way to go with this story yet. Jeremy Camp (the singer) does indeed rule. His latest album _Restored, _is one of the best I have ever heard.

**SeekerTLK: **yep, I think it was a good trade-off. I don't like being wet unless I'm in my swim trunks ;) thanks for your reviewing, I was hoping I could capture that, as it would bring them so much closer to each other.

**Taint of Taia:** It is truly rewarding for a ff writer to get a reader that doesn't like his ship, but reads it anyway because the story is good. thank you SO much for your review. I too find that despite the fact that I _do_ like the H/G pairing, most often it is not done very well. You have no idea how close you've hit to the mark saying that he'll be apart from her in America, and if you weren't someone who doesn't like H/G fluff too much, I'd say be careful what you wish for. Rest assured that they only have been together so much because they are living in the same house for the summer, and there will be much less quality time and more reality soon.

**pazed: **thanks very much for the encouragement and the con. criticism. I'll certainly give those books a shot if I get the chance

**Dumbledore:** Will do.

**Jazna: **does this chapter answer your question? I like to think Harry knows his best mate pretty well.

**Darkepyon:** It slipped Harry's mind,but he plans to discuss it with McGonagall since she's his head of house, when he gets back to school.

**Rhysel Ash:** Yep, it is. I love the rain.

**wvchemteach:** does your name mean you're a chemistry teacher? that was random but anyway...

was their fight believable enough? However much I joked, I honestly did not intend to have them fight just for the sake of fighting. When I first planned their get-together a couple months ago, it struck me that what I had them fight over in this chapter would be an immediate concern, and thus I have always planned to make it that way. Do you think I did it right?

thanks for your review, I quite enjoyed it.


	18. Malfoy

AN

Ok. This took way longer than it should've. I apologize for that. We've been SO busy these last couple weeks (work, eye doctor, dentist, chiropractor, school, karate, guitar, church, etc). Anyway, JC-S and I are trying to co-write a one-shot for a challenge on another site, because the plot bunny bit me in the butt and I haven't been able to concentrate on this story properly since. Hopefully once we get it done I'll be able to write this one again. I hate plot bunnies.

Alrighty then. This chapter we have action again, finally. It starts off slow because, obviously, I have to transition it. I can't just jump straight into the action now can I? This is the first of two chapters that begin the whole 'meaning of the title' thing. You won't fully understand until next chapter, but the beginning of it is in here. Some of you may guess what I'm going to do, some of you may not. Oh yeah, there's a, um, vague reference to something quite evil and horrible that almost happens to Ginny, but rest assured it does not. I simply can't stand to actually write a fic where it happens. Just thought I'd give you a head's up on that.

Thanks to all my reviewers, who've pushed me up over 420 reviews now. And thanks to JC-S and my beta Yavinbase, without whom I would be lost.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 18

Malfoy

That evening found Harry and Ginny snuggled up on the couch in his personal library, trying to enjoy their last few waking hours alone together before they had to return to Hogwarts.

"Are you ready to go back?" Ginny asked her boyfriend.

Harry sighed. "Yeah, I guess so. I'd rather we stay here alone for a while longer."

She giggled and said, "Me too, but I think you just don't want to face my brother."

He groaned aloud. "I've been agonizing over that letter for two weeks now. Couldn't he have given some hint as to what he was thinking, instead of just saying 'we have to talk'?"

"Told you he wouldn't like you dating his sister."

"No, I don't think it's that really," Harry said musingly. "I think if he's mad at me, it's because he had to find out about us from that damned article in the paper. He probably expected me to send him a letter telling him about everything. I would've too, if he hadn't found out before I got a chance."

Ginny hid her face in his chest. "That was absolutely mortifying. That headline, 'Harry Potter Finds Love in Best Friend's Sister?' was awful. They couldn't even get my name right, and they had to bring up that 'best friend's little sister' thing I've been trying to get past ever since I met you."

He chuckled lightly and reached a hand behind her head to pull her hair out of its pony tail. "Well you got past it with me."

"Hey!" she protested, reaching a hand up to where her pony tail had been only moments before. "What'd you do that for?"

His only answer was to gently push her hand out of his way and start running his fingers through her long, red tresses. Unconsciously, her eyes half-closed at the soothing contact and she lay back contentedly on his chest.

He chuckled. "Like that do you?"

"Mmm," she murmured sleepily against him, "'S'nice."

"Gin?"

"Mmm?"

"Don't fall asleep, luv, it's too early. We've got a few hours alone together yet."

He pulled his hand away from her hair, and she sat up, blinking rapidly. "Hmmph," she growled irritably. Why'd he have to go and ruin her nice little bit of relaxation? She was just beginning to enjoy herself.

His eyes sparkled with mirth at her irritation. She was turned away from him, but he knew just how to distract her. Only because Sirius told him about how James had used it on Lily, but that made it all the more amusing for Harry.

He leaned over and very softly blew air into her ear, delighting in the shivers his breath caused in her. She turned back towards him, perhaps to reprimand him, but he was ready. Before she could say anything, he pressed his mouth to hers. Her eyes opened wide in surprise, but soon she was too engrossed in returning the kiss to remember her earlier annoyance towards him.

When it became necessary to breathe, they broke apart. As they did so, Harry couldn't help but think, 'Thank Merlin for Sirius and his advice on girls.'

"Harry?" His girlfriend's beautiful voice cut through his thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Want to go for one last walk around the neighborhood?"

"Sure, Gin."

Several minutes later, the two of them were taking a quiet stroll down the sidewalk of Privet Drive, hand in hand.

The shadows on the ground were stretching long as they reached the park. A grove of trees was in front of them, and Ginny suddenly stepped up in front of him, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Do you fancy yourself a good Seeker, Mr. Potter?"

Unsure of what she had in mind, and more than a little wary of that grin, Harry nevertheless decided to play along with her little game. "Why, yes, Miss Weasley, I believe I do."

"So you can catch any Snitch you set your mind to?" she continued, still with that secret smile that set off warning bells in Harry's mind. Her resemblance to Fred and George at that moment was so striking that she appeared to be a smaller (Albeit considerably better-looking, in Harry's private opinion) female version of them.

"I most certainly can," he boasted playfully. "No Snitch can escape me."

"Well what about this Snitch?" she asked, pointing a finger at herself. "Bet you can't catch _this_ one."

And with that, she took off towards the trees. Realization dawned on Harry, and he took off after her, determined to win their little game.

The only problem was; his girlfriend was wicked fast and damn near impossible to catch. Her red hair and melodious giggle was all he could see and hear, as she weaved in and out of the tree trunks at an incredible rate.

He followed the distinctive red spot around one particularly large tree, only to find nothing there. He listened closely, but her laughing had disappeared. Where was she?

"Oh, Ginny," he called out. "Come out; come out, where ever you are."

He paused and listened again, but no sound came from the silent trees around him. A sudden sense of foreboding came over him. The shadows had lengthened considerably by this time, and it was almost completely dark among the trees.

"Ginny?" he called out nervously. "This isn't funny any more!"

He whirled in circles several times, searching for something, anything that could indicate where she was. He was growing more and more anxious with each passing second.

"Ginny!" he called out frantically, nearly hysterically. "Ginny, where are you?"

Then, a muffled scream pierced the silence, and his heart nearly stopped. He took off in the direction from which the sound had come. The ground flew beneath his feet, as he sprinted faster than he ever had before.

Adrenaline and fear coursed through him, spiking his magic. The magic lent further speed to his feet, making them blurs as he shot from beneath the cover of the trees to the empty, grassy area beyond.

There she was! She was squirming and kicking frantically against a black figure that was holding her fast. Her attacker looked up at that moment, and for one instant Harry saw the face of his most hated school enemy, Draco Malfoy, before both he and Ginny vanished without a trace.

Harry's speed was so great by this point that he shot straight through the place where they had been standing.

He managed to stop a moment later, letting out a howl of rage and anguish as he did so. The block he'd placed to keep Sirius from his mind while he was with Ginny slipped from its place, and the voice of his godfather filled his mind.

:What's happened:

Silently, Harry shoved the memories of the last twenty or so minutes to the forefront of his mind, allowing his godfather to witness them.

:Damn:

What do I do now, Sirius?-

:I don't know. Wait! Quick, the necklace! It's your only chance:

Harry blinked, as comprehension struck. The necklace he'd bought for Ginny's birthday! Unknown to her, Harry had laced it with tracking charms to enable him to locate her at all times, just in case she was ever in danger. Why hadn't he remembered that immediately?

"Ostendo sum locus Ginny," he whispered, waving his hand in front of his face. A map of the world appeared in mid-air, with a blinking red dot indicating Ginny's position as being in England.

"Amplifico," he said, and the map zoomed in on England, with a red dot just north of London. "Amplifico," he muttered once more, and it zoomed in enough for him to know where he was going.

Just as he was ready to disappear, Sirius' voice stopped him.

:Get the Order first. I believe he's taken her to Malfoy Manor, in which case you need help to save her. That place will be well guarded:

Harry let out a cry of frustration, wanting to just rush immediately to Ginny's rescue, but did as Sirius suggested.

He appeared in a ball of flames in the midst of the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, causing quite the stir once again.

Dumbledore was not there, but Remus, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, and Mad-Eye Moody were.

"Harry!" they all clamored at once in surprise. Grins spread over several faces, and most of them rushed forward to greet him, but he held up his hands to stop them.

"Get Dumbledore. Now," he said loudly, and they finally noticed the furious expression on his face.

"What's the matter, Harry?" asked Remus anxiously. Tonks had already moved to the fireplace to do as Harry said.

"Ginny's been kidnapped," he growled. "By Draco Malfoy."

There was a collective gasp, and Mrs. Weasley nearly collapsed into her husband's arms.

At that moment, Dumbledore appeared, a grim look upon his face.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" he demanded.

Harry explained, briefly what had happened in the park. A wave of his hand brought up the map he'd consulted earlier. "This is where she is," he said, indicating the blinking red dot. "I believe it is the location of Malfoy Manor." The professor's eyes widened in surprise, for Malfoy Manor had been Unplottable and hidden since Voldemort's return.

"Gather the Order and meet me there, Professor. You may need the Aurors too." Dumbledore tried to tell him not to leave, but he vanished in a ball of flames.

He reappeared on a small hill overlooking a huge manor home, surrounded by figures in black cloaks with hoods and white masks. Hurriedly, he tried to apparate, but found he could not.

I knew it! Anti-Apparation Wards. The Order won't be able to get in that way. They'll have to apparate outside and try to storm their way in!-

:Can you Flame inside the house:

No, I can't see inside. I could end up inside a wall or a suit of armor. If I get any closer I'll be seen.-

:Well the Order won't be here soon enough, what are you going to do:

Harry thought about it for a second. He couldn't sneak in, as he didn't have his Cloak, and he couldn't just Flame inside. That left only one option . . .

A maniacal grin came over his face.

Full frontal assault it is then.-

Sirius let out a whoop of anticipation. :Give 'em hell from ol' Padfoot, Mr. Inferno:

Harry crouched down onto the ground, then with all his might, leapt into the air. As he did so, he cast double Banishing spells at the ground beneath his feet, propelling him fully fifty feet into the air.

Beginning his descent, he let out a primal scream of rage that suddenly became a Dragon's roar, as he changed into the form he had only used once before.

He slammed into the ground before the main entrance of the Manor with all the force of a small meteor. The tremor created by this knocked all the Death Eaters around him to the ground.

He opened his mouth, spewing a gigantic stream of flame, and the battle began.

* * *

Ginny rematerialized in a cold, stone room only Merlin knew where. The shock of their arrival allowed her to finally wrench free of Malfoy's grip, sending her stumbling into a stone wall. 

'How the hell did Malfoy get a Portkey?' she thought frantically. She was in full panic mode by now. She had no wand – Malfoy had seen to that immediately – and she was trapped alone in a dungeon with the amazing bouncing ferret. This was bad.

Malfoy was smirking triumphantly at her. "Not so smug now, are you, Weasley? Potter can't save you now."

"What do you want, ferret-face?" she demanded angrily. She had to stall for time. Harry would get the Order and come for her. She just had to keep Malfoy talking.

"What do I want?" he asked in surprise. "This could take a while. Perhaps I'll just explain my goals for the moment. I want revenge."

"Revenge? On who? Me?"

"Don't be so arrogant, Weasley. Of course not on you. I want revenge on Potter, and you are the key to that. For years he's been showing me up, beating me at everything; making me look bad in my father's eyes. And now, he's gotten my father thrown into prison. Well no more." He was pacing now, moving his arms wildly as he ranted and raved in the tiny, windowless room, lit only by a single flickering torch.

"Now I'll show him. The Dark Lord wants you, probably to break Potter. I volunteered to be the one to get you, and in return, I get to hurt Potter by getting to the one thing he holds dearest." His cold eyes narrowed and glinted as he stopped pacing and advanced towards her. "You."

Her eyes opened wide in horror. _No_. She backed away from him slowly, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Harry will come for me. You'll never get away with this."

"Oh, I think I will, Weasley. Potter will never be able to find you here. No one can save you. Now, are you ready to have a little fun?" he asked, smirking dangerously.

He was getting closer, her back hit the wall, and she pressed herself against it in terror. Malfoy came closer and closer, raising his arms towards her.

But there was one thing about this situation that Draco Malfoy knew nothing about.

Ginny Weasley had been trained for weeks by her boyfriend for just this sort of occasion.

Faster than the eye could see, her hand shot out from her side and knuckle-punched him right on the Adam's Apple. Malfoy fell to his knees in shock and pain, clutching his throat and gagging.

Ginny saw her chance, and made a break for the door. It was unlocked, and she wrenched it open immediately. Malfoy obviously hadn't thought it needed to be kept locked while he was in there to subdue her. _Arrogant little-_

She found herself at the far end of a long corridor, lined with doors just like the one she had come through. At the opposite end, she could see a winding staircase going upwards.

'Of course it would be all the way down there.'

Just when she reached the first step, there was a tremendous BOOM that shook the entire building down to its foundations – where Ginny was, in other words. The tremor startled her, sending her to the ground as dust fell from the ceiling above her. She stared upwards in shock. What in Merlin's name was that?

Another explosion shook the stonework again, and she decided not to dwell on it. She scrambled to her feet and rushed up the stairs as fast as she could, cursing herself for being short and thus slower than was helpful just then.

She heard footsteps behind her and tried to pick up her pace. Malfoy had obviously recovered, and his legs were much longer than hers. She'd have to move faster.

Another door was at the top of the stairs, and she wrenched it open hastily. Just as she made it through the doorway, she heard the impact of a spell on the wall next to her.

Damn it! She should have taken his wand! She took off down the long, carpeted hallway she found herself in, cursing herself inventively under her breath. In a straight fight, she could probably take Malfoy; but he had a wand and she didn't, and that was another matter altogether.

She raced through room after empty room, noticing as she did that whatever place she was in suited Malfoy. It was cold and dark and full of snobby old family heirlooms such as paintings and jewelry.

The footsteps behind her grew louder, and the curses striking the walls around her grew closer and more frequent. The house was huge, and she had no idea where she was going. Then, a tripping jinx caught her by surprise, sending her sprawling on a rich, Persian rug.

"Thought you'd got away, did you?" Malfoy rasped, one hand pointing his wand at her and the other still clutching his throat. He'd be feeling that one for a while, she thought with grim satisfaction.

"Well let's see how you like this then," he hissed. "_Crucio!"_

Harry was royally pissed off now. Many of the Death Eaters had been literally cut to ribbons or roasted alive, but he now had to find Ginny while fending off the last few still standing. Without a second thought, he crashed straight through the front doors, taking much of the wall with him.

Some idiot that had been standing guard inside sent a Conjunctivitus Jinx towards him, but luckily he managed to duck in time.

A quick swipe of his gigantic, clawed foot left the unlucky man in two pieces.

The entrance hall to Malfoy Manor was huge, but further on in any direction it was too small for a dragon, especially one of his size. He reverted to his natural form and called up his tracking charm map, zooming it in until he could see Ginny's location in relation to his own.

She was about a hundred yards north of him, so he set off at a dead run in that general direction, passing through room after room.

He finally came into one particularly large dining room to find Ginny sprawled on the floor at the far end, screaming in agony. Malfoy was standing over her with his wand, laughing maniacally.

Harry's blood boiled, and he didn't even stop to think He just took of running towards them. He didn't know it, but if anyone had looked into his eyes at that moment, they would have seen twin pillars of fire in those emerald green pools. His skin started to glow, and sparks erupted from his fingertips.

Malfoy lifted the curse and advanced towards Ginny, a triumphant smirk upon his face as she curled herself into a fetal position on the floor, still whimpering from the aftereffects of the curse.

"Malfoy!"

Harry's voice stopped him, and he turned in shock and anger to find his most hated foe running straight for him.

:Harry, what are you-:

Harry ignored him and drew his wand. "Eat this, ferret! _Avada Kedavra!"_

Sirius gasped.

Malfoy's eyes registered shock, as the green light streaked towards him and struck him square in the chest. He slumped; dead before he hit the ground.

Harry did not stop to think about what he had just done. Malfoy had been warned, and Harry always kept his word – especially when it concerned Ginny in any way.

He rushed immediately to her side and pulled her into his lap. She was a tiny thing, and she fit very easily on top of him. She was trembling in his arms.

"Easy, we'll get you to Hogwarts. Madame Pomfrey will look after you," he said reassuringly.

"I'm okay," she whispered, trying to hide the pain she was in, "Let's just go."

He nodded and tried to stand up, but the movement brought a fresh wave of pain in her body. Though she tried to stifle it, a small moan of agony escaped her.

He paused. "You alright?"

She gritted her teeth against the pain. "Hurts," she whimpered.

"Alright," he said. He looked around him hurriedly, before finally just taking off his shoe. He held it out behind Ginny's back so he could keep his hold on her. Her put his wand back in his pocket and tapped the shoe with his finger. "_Portus._

"It was in one of my mum's books," he explained, as he touched it to Ginny's hand. "Activate."

The familiar hooking sensation behind his navel came, and they were hurled through time and space to find themselves in the Hogwarts infirmary.

Madame Pomfrey, already there in anticipation of the students arriving the next day, heard Harry calling out her name.

She rushed from her office to find him holding up Ginny Weasley, who was obviously quite injured.

"Put her there," she ordered hurriedly, motioning to the nearest bed. "Quickly."

She pulled her wand and started muttering numerous incantations over Ginny's body, as Harry complied with her order.

"What happened?" demanded the Hogwarts matron.

"Malfoy kidnapped her. He put the Cruciatus on her."

She summoned a post-Cruciatus potion at once and poured it down the girl's throat. Ginny visibly relaxed, and her hand, which had been wringing Harry's tightly, relaxed its grip.

Madame Pomfrey tried to shoo Harry away at that point, but Ginny demanded that he stay. The nurse swelled up in indignation until Harry politely requested to remain with Ginny. She finally relented at that.

Ginny didn't appear to be injured in any other way, except for a couple bruises on her knees from a fall of some sort, so Pomfrey gave her a Sleeping Draught to let her sleep off the remaining effects of the curse.

When Harry rose from the chair he'd pulled up to the bedside, the nurse was surprised to find that his entire right leg was covered in blood, and there was a huge gash behind his knee.

"Mr. Potter!" she exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me you were injured?"

"Huh?" he said confusedly. He checked himself over and found that the hollow behind his knee was pouring blood. His jaw dropped in shock. To tell the truth, he hadn't even noticed he was injured. He had felt a throbbing sensation, but his pain tolerance was so high after everything he'd endured that he had failed to give it any thought. "What, that? It's nothing. Don't worry about-"

"On the bed, Potter," she snapped, "Now."

He sighed and did as she asked, noticing that he walked with a slight limp.

Harry waited in his bed for fully an hour after the nurse went back to her office, all the while pondering the events of that evening. How did Malfoy get through the wards around Privet Drive? He should've been unable to come near them without Dumbledore's permission. Where had their Order guard been during all this? And how did Malfoy get hold of a Portkey?

There was really only one answer.

Voldemort.-

:Yes, I'm afraid you may be right. No doubt that's how he got the Portkey. The Order guard was probably taken care of relatively quickly, but I don't know about the wards. How could he have broken them:

Well we know that the recipient of the wards, me in this case, can take them down because they're tied into their blood. But how could Voldemort have done it?-

He sat in silence for some time, thinking, when it hit him like a ton of bricks.

:I know exactly what you're thinking, Harry; that night in the graveyard.:

Exactly! He took some of my blood! That would mean the wards are connected to him as well. But if that's true, why hasn't he used it before? And how did Dumbledore not notice?-

:Who knows? Maybe he just hasn't realized he could do it before. Maybe he didn't know where you live. Maybe it took him this long to do it. The point is, he's attacking again. The odd thing is that they went only for Ginny. My guess is he's still not willing to risk a confrontation with you at this point, so he's trying to affect you by hurting her.:

And what about Dumbledore? Doesn't he have some way of knowing when the wards are down?-

:I would think so. I don't have enough of an experience with blood wards to say for sure, but my guess would be that he found some way to make it seem as if they were still active, without them actually being active.:

Just then, there was a huge commotion outside of the hospital wing. Harry climbed quickly out of his bed to see what was going on and try to shut it up quickly. They were going to wake Ginny at this rate.

Just as he limped over to the door, it burst open and a crowd of people came pouring in. Fudge, leading a whole troop of Aurors, was first to arrive, closely followed by Professor Dumbledore. Last in were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who immediately rushed to their daughter's side when they spotted her.

"There he is!" Fudge declared, pointing at Harry. "Arrest him!"

Harry raised an eyebrow as six Aurors surrounded him, wands drawn and demanding that he surrender his own wand.

"My I ask what crime exactly I'm being accused of committing?" Harry asked mildly.

A young man standing next to Fudge, whom Harry recognized as Percy Weasley, stepped forward importantly. "By order of the Minister of Magic," he declared pompously, "Harry James Potter is to be placed under arrest for the murder of Draco Lucius Malfoy, by use of the Unforgivable Killing Curse."

"Well," said Fudge happily, "What do you have to say to that?"

Dumbledore interrupted, "Cornelius, this is nonsense. Harry did no such thing."

"Yes he did!" shouted Fudge. "He did it, he did it! Banks, check his wand."

Harry removed his wand from his pocket and handed it to the Auror named Banks, seemingly unconcerned by what was happening.

"_Prior Incantato,_" said Banks, pointing his wand at Harry's. To the surprise of all gathered there but Fudge and Harry, a ghost-like image of Draco Malfoy appeared and hung in mid-air.

"_Deletrius,_" muttered Banks, and Malfoy disappeared.

"Harry?" asked Dumbledore quietly. A rare thing indeed had happened. The old headmaster was shaken, right down to his very shoes.

Harry's face was emotionless. "Yes, Professor, I did it. I gave him fair warning that if he harmed Ginny, I would kill him. And I did, just as I killed many of those Death Eaters outside the mansion."

"And just how did you do that?" demanded one Auror on his right. "They looked like they were killed by some huge animal, and some of them were burned nearly into ashes."

Harry didn't even blink. "I am an unregistered animagus; with more than one form. I used my Dragon form." They already knew about his Phoenix form because he'd used it in the Alley when it was attacked. No doubt Dumbledore had kept Fudge from kicking up a fuss. He knew it was too late now to try and hide his Dragon form. They'd find out anyway and Fudge was going to bring him in for use of an Unforgivable, even though it was used on a servant of the Dark Lord.

:Harry, do you think it's wise to let him take you in:

We'll see how it goes, Siri. They don't know I don't need a wand yet. And I doubt Dumbledore will let them keep me locked up.-

"What's going on?" a voice from across the room called.

Harry whirled to find Ginny blinking herself out of sleep. Her parents, who had been staring at Harry, horror-stricken, for the last few minutes, turned their attention back to their daughter.

"It's alright, Gin," Harry called out reassuringly. "Just a little mistake. The Minister's going to take me in to the Ministry for a while. Just go back to sleep. I'll be back before you know it."

"I don't think so, Potter," declared Fudge. "I'll see you in Azkaban for this!"

"Harry?" Ginny called out worriedly.

"I'll be fine!" he called over his shoulder, as the Aurors started to lead him away.

She tried to get out of her bed and follow him, but her parents held her back. "Harry!"

A tear escaped her eye. She hoped he'd be okay, but who knew with Fudge? She didn't want him to go to Azkaban. It would kill her to be without him. It wouldn't be so bad for him without the Dementors there any more, but he would still be all by himself out there.

A sigh escaped Dumbledore's lips as he stood by the door. "I am afraid I must follow them. Molly, Arthur, Ginny should probably remain here for her own safety. Taking her back to the Burrow or Grimmauld Place would be most unwise."

And with that, he left.

* * *

AN 

Review! Even if just to tell me you read it, I don't care (though I like long reviews best) just review please!

Ok, I'm hoping the hide-and-seek thing in the park worked out alright. I originally had a whole alternate plotline where the waitress, Marie, kisses Harry and Ginny goes running off in tears, so Harry can't find her until he hears her scream. Obviously, I didn't want to use this after I already had them have a fight. Plus I didn't want Ginny to be the one who misunderstood again. That would seem like I'm making Harry perfect and incapable of making mistakes in their relationship.

Which we all know can't be true, because us guys are the thick ones. It's usually our fault. Er, strike that. Always our fault.

Also, if you want to know what a knuckle-punch is (as defined by my _sensai_) it's where you curl the first two joints in your fingers up, but keep the last one (closest to the palm) straight. Kind of a cross between apunch and a spear-hand.

To all those of you complaining about the lack of Sirius, I apologize. I purposely faded him out because Harry likes privacy when he's with Ginny, and he's been with Ginny a lot during the summer. so he blocks Sirius out all the time. Now that the summer's pretty much over, Sirius will make a comeback. Oh, I hope you liked him in this chapter.

Also, a lot of you think the last part with Emily's parents was a little odd and awkward. I'm sorry about that, I honestly hit a brick wall with that and cut it short. Maybe if I think of something more clever to put there I'll fix it some time. Oh, and JKR says only trained, special Ministry officials inform muggle-borns of the Magical World. Maybe Harry will violate the rules, but he certainly won't be the one _supposed_ to go ;)

Yet another thing you lot wanted was for me to put a little about the article in the papers. I did put a bit in this chapter, but not the actual article. This is because I tried to write a newspaper article and failed. I'm sorry, I just can't write that sort of thing. I couldn't even come up with a good headline. Hopefully you at least got a little bit of an idea of people's reactions. I left out Dumbledore and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's reactions because Harry sorta predicted them in the last chapter. He was right, so I'm not going to drag the story on by writing that in there. It's taking me extra chapters as it is.

I'm sorry I can't put more responses, but I'm pressed for time. Hope you understand.

**ZergMaster:** Killing curse thing . . . ah, mixed thoughts on that. Still not sure I like that I did it, but it is important to the future plot. And I'm shooting for 40 chapters I think. maybe a little less.

**NuvaChaos:** I agree and . . . as often as I finish chapters.

**fwuzzfwuzz:** Pillar rocks! so does Sonicflood, Switchfoot, Jeremy Camp, andReliantK. christian artists are awesome.

**uNople:** thanks so much! I love long, helpful reviews. You know, I think you're the first person who's told me that my way of writing Dumbledore is IC. People have said they liked the way I wrote him, but I don't think anyone said it's true to JK's work. Personally, I'm not quite sure whether I believe he's IC or not. I wrote him as close as I could while sticking to my own plot (I'm bordering on AU because of a couple characters), but I'm not afraid of making him noticeably different. Interesting to note, the cover of the Half-Blood Prince, to me, seems to indicate that Dumbledore and Harry work through their differences and become close once more.

**Silver Warrior:** Fred and George are my favorite characters. Period. I've been so nervous writing them, not wanting to screw it up after Jo's done so well with them. I nearly cried when JC-S told me he thought they were just as good as Jo's portrayals of them. My brother rocks. Anyway, so yeah. I've always thought of them as being perceptive, but not showing it, so I made them the ones to warn Ginny about that. Plus I'm sick of fics with Weasley big brother talks directed at Harry. Oh, and you have no idea how close you've come with Roswell. I was _seriously_ thinking of doing Area 51. Does that sound cool?

**Jack-A-Roe:** if you can figure out exactly what it was that was wrong, I'd appreciate the advice. Their relationship is my toughest project in this story, so I need all the help I can get. And whatever happens, I'll finish this story. Hopefully before HBP even comes out, but if it does, despite it.

**Lady Smoothie:** glad to hear you're reading it even though you don't like Harry/Ginny. That was the way I felt when I read my first H/G fic, and I'm now a firm supporter of the H.M.S. Orange Crush. I don't know if you'll turn out that way, but it's nice just to know you're reading anyway.

**theKRITIC:** For Dumbledore, join the club. LOL. Loads of people don't like him that way. I just shrug when they say it because I like writing him different ways. In my other fic he's actually quite cool (but I haven't gotten to that part yet, so nobody really knows it). I'm curious as to how you decided you don't like how I've written Petunia, as I've hardly written anything at all about her yet. I'm guessing you wanted me to write her having a change of heart or something? And, I usually am inclined to agree with you about Remus and Tonks, but I heard somewhere that he's eight years older than her, which is really not that much in such an old-fashioned society like the wizarding world. Basically, I was being lazy. I wanted to get Remus with someone, butI didn't want to write another original character (since there are going to be a bunch in America), so I took the easy way out and put him with Tonks. Charlie/Tonks is way better usually.

**K,W,G,T,B:** I think this chapter should've answered all your questions except the last one, am I right? and the last one isn't necessary since the other brothers learned about the relationship from the paper.

**wvchemteach:** thanks, and I'll see about getting someone to watch for the British terms. Thing is, so far I've just tried from my own knowledge to make it as realistic as possible. What's basically happened is it's become like me; a hybrid of British and American terms. I'm an American, but I don't get out much, and I read TONS of British books, so now I sorta talk like I'm an American who moved to Britain and started trying to imitate everyone's accent. Sometimes I have to stop myself from saying 'bloody' just because I've read it so many times. It's not like I ever say it, it just comes up because I see it so much. Annoying, really. I need help.

**voided:** 1) well, I've got bigger plans for him than just sitting in Harry's head, but he won't get his body back, that much I can tell you.2) yep.

**arios:** I think Harry's going to travel all over the continent. He's got lots to do after all.

**Briea:** well their troubles are of course far from over. I just didn't want to open their relationship with a huge fight. it doesn't bode well for their future. anyway, the potholes on the relationship road get deeper as we progress.

**SeekerTLK:** Don't I know it! Just yesterday I was walking to work, and these girls my age started waving . . . right when I was making this stupid litte maneuver with my feet to make fun of this thing we do in karate


	19. Fare Thee Well

AN

I have returned! The delay was caused by the fact that I was away skiing in Lake Tahoe. Perfect conditions, if anyone wants to know. Frankly, I was going so fast down those slopes you're all lucky I didn't take out a tree and die, orphaning my story ;)

Er, anyway, I used JC-S' laptop to type up chapter 19 at night while I was there. Unfortunately, I didn't know he didn't have a floppy drive, and not having any data cds, I had to retype all 41 pages of this when I got home. Hopefully, the length (around 4,000 words longer than my usual) will make up for the wait.

We are entering a part of the story where I'm pretty sure I'll lose a few of you, a fact I lament. However, I can't change it because the title would become incorrect. Can't have that. All I ask of all of you, is that you give the chapter a chance, and read the Author's Note at the bottom before you give up on me. I have my reasons, however idiotic they may be.

Huge thank you to Yavinbase and JC-S, whose help is, as always, completely invaluable.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 19

Fare Thee Well

Harry soon found himself in a holding cell in the Auror department of the Ministry of Magic. His arms and legs were bound with anti-magic manacles, and two Aurors stood guard outside his door.

He stayed that way, sitting on the small cot, for an hour or so, until Dumbledore finally came in to see him. As head of the Wizengamot, the headmaster was qualified and authorized to be the one to question him, and said as much when he entered.

Dumbledore gave him a very grave and disappointed look as he conjured a chair across from him. A year before, that look would've had Harry wallowing in shame. Now, however, it seemed to pass right through him.

"Harry," said the headmaster sadly, "I'm afraid I must ask you why you did this."

Harry's face was expressionless as he replied, "I warned him. I told him that if he attempted to harm Ginny, I would kill him. He attacked her, kidnapped her, put the Cruciatus on her, and attempted worse. So I killed him. I would do it again."

The aging headmaster shook his head. "Harry, you used an Unforgivable. Young Mr. Malfoy's crimes were no doubt heinous in nature, but there was no need to resort to the Dark Arts-"

"Yes there was," Harry insisted. "And there will be again in the future. If I had simply stunned him, he would've been sent to prison, if we were lucky. More likely, he would have gotten off somehow. Even if he _did_ get sent to Azkaban, Voldemort would have soon freed him, just as he freed his father."

Dumbledore blinked. No one was supposed to know about the Azkaban breakout the week before. He hadn't even told most of the Order. "How did you know that?" he asked.

Harry chuckled and pointed towards his scar. "He can't get through to me any more, but that doesn't mean I haven't tried getting through to him. It hasn't worked often, but when he's especially happy or angry I can sometimes break through his barriers for a few minutes. I saw what happened at Azkaban one of those times."

He dropped his hand and shook his head. "This is just going to continue, Professor. He's going to keep gaining new recruits, and few or none of his men are going to be taken out of the equation. It's no wonder you people were losing last time."

Dumbledore's frown deepened. "Harry-"

But Harry wouldn't hear it. "No, Professor, I know what you will say. We're going to lose at this rate, and you know it. The time has come for change. Voldemort and his Death Eaters are not criminals to be punished with time in prison; they are soldiers on the opposing side of a war. You would do well to take a good long look at wars in the muggle world. When they fight a war, they understand that victory lies in _defeating_ your opponent, not _imprisoning_ him. Prisoners are taken, yes, but you cannot hope to capture and entire enemy force. It's an impossible task, and Voldemort's just going to keep gaining supporters because there's nothing to scare them off. All they see ahead of them if they get caught is a short term in prison."

"But, my dear boy," Dumbledore protested, "We cannot sink to their level. If we do, we are no better than them."

Harry slowly rose to his feet, chains clanking, and walked over to the magical window that was currently showing a dark, stormy night. Lighting flashed and rain pelted against the enchanted glass.

"We are a free people, Professor," he said. "But if we are not willing to fight, to die, and yes, even to kill to defend that freedom, then we have no right being free." He turned to face his headmaster. "You may not be willing to go that far, but I am, and I will continue to go that far, even using the Dark Arts if necessary. I believe Winston Churchill once said something to the effect of, 'Victory at all costs.' A little extreme, perhaps, but a fitting quote nonetheless."

Dumbledore stared at his young student for a moment, then rose and vanished his chair and stepped towards the door. He stopped just before touching the handle, and turned back. "Harry, I'm afraid Cornelius is attempting to get you sent straight to Azkaban without a trial, just as Sirius was."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What? How can he possibly justify that? Despite the fact that I used the Killing Curse, it shouldn't be enough to warrant that, since I only killed a Death Eater."

Dumbledore shook his head. "He's claiming there's no proof Mr. Malfoy was a Death Eater, or even that he kidnapped young Miss Weasley."

"What?" Harry nearly shouted. "What about all the men in cloaks and masks outside? Surely that's enough proof that even if he wasn't one, he was in league with them?"

"I'm afraid not. Before we were able to arrive, someone removed all the cloaks from the bodies and replaced them with ordinary robes. I'm not sure you know, but the Mark fades shortly after a person's death. Cornelius is under the impression that Mr. Malfoy was having a party of some sort, and you attacked them, perhaps to get back at him for something he did at school."

"That's insane!"

"Yes it is, but since young Mr. Malfoy and his mother both publicly renounced Lucius after his incarceration, Cornelius seems to believe they do not hold with the beliefs of Lord Voldemort, and do not support him." He didn't have to add that Draco had taken up his father's habits of lining the Minister's pockets.

"And what about the bodies? Weren't any of them known Death Eaters?"

"No, they were mostly very young Ministry employees with no prior criminal records. All appearances suggest they were Lord Voldemort's newest and most inexperienced recruits. Cornelius is attempting to tag on their murders, as well as your illegal animagus forms and underage magic to your charges, since the signs point to them just being at Malfoy manor for some sort of get-together among friends"

Realization dawned on Harry, and his eyes widened. "My gods, I've been set up. Voldemort planned this from the beginning." It all clicked together in his mind. "The fact that Voldemort wasn't there when he took her to the Manor, the inexperienced Death Eaters, changing their clothes so it looked like I killed innocent men."

His head slowly turned to look at the headmaster. "He _wanted_ me to kill Malfoy. He _wanted_ me to kill all of them. He knew it would get me sent here, and from here to Azkaban. He must've known I was approaching the point where I'd be willing to use Dark Magic, and he planned this whole thing." He sank heavily onto the mattress of the small cot and put his head in his hands.

"Harry," Dumbledore said, "I must know, do you still think using even Dark Magic is necessary for this war?"

Harry didn't even look up. "Yes," he said simply.

Dumbledore sighed and opened the door.

"Professor?" came Harry's voice, before he could leave. "What happens now? Is the Order going to attempt to get me off? Fudge may not know they were Death Eaters, but you do, don't you?"

Dumbledore let out another sigh. "I'm afraid there is little we can do, my boy. It appears you will be sent to Azkaban."

Harry rose slowly to his feet and stared at the aging professor. "You think I've turned Dark," he accused. "You're going to leave me here, because you think I've been corrupted, that I'll be the same as Voldemort."

"I've already let loose one Tom Riddle upon the world," Dumbledore said coldly, already standing out in the hallway beyond the cell. "I refuse to let another one, a stronger one take over. It is better to keep fighting the current Dark Lord than to let his successor defeat him and take over."

Harry let out a small cry and rushed towards the door, but the Aurors on the other side slammed it shut in his face. He was able to see the headmaster leaving down the hallway, and he called out after him. "You're a fool, Dumbledore! You hear me? You're a fool!"

But Dumbledore did not look back.

* * *

Harry was kept in the holding cell for two days; then brought before the assembled Wizengamot for sentencing. Just as Dumbledore had predicted, there was no trial.

Throughout the sentencing, Harry sat in the chair with the shackles, silent. He said not a word to anyone, and when they proclaimed his sentence to be life in Azkaban, he did not react.

Fudge wanted to make a public spectacle of him being sent to the island fortress, so his portkey was scheduled to leave from Diagon Alley. When the Aurors led him there to be transported, he was still silent and compliant.

There was a small platform set in the midst of the Alley, upon which he was placed as a Ministry worker read out his charges. As this was happening, Harry calmly surveyed the enormous crowd surrounding the platform, paying close attention to those who seemed to hold him in contempt and those who may sympathize with him.

The fickleness of the wizarding world astounded him. A few short months before, he had been the attention-seeking brat. Shortly afterwards, he was again the hero, Witch Weekly's most eligible teenage bachelor, etc. Now he was once again the person everybody despised.

There was very little sympathy on the faces of the people assembled around him. Not a single Weasley made their appearance (excluding Percy, who turned out to be the one reading his charges.), but a few people he knew were present. Most of the Order seemed to be regarding him exactly the way their leader did, with a few exceptions. Tonks was clutching Remus' arm as the both of them shot glares at the rest of the Order. Moody, on the other hand, was wearing an expressionless face (or as near as he could manage it at any rate). When Harry caught his eye, the old ex-Auror gave him a small wink with his good eye and the tiniest of approving nods.

Harry's eyes scanned the rest of the crowd, coming to rest on the face of his dormmate Neville Longbottom. Neville's grandmother was standing next to her grandson and shooting Harry a glare along with the rest of the people around her. Neville, on the other hand, had an uncharacteristically grim expression on his face. As their eyes met, the young man in the crowd gave a small nod, letting Harry know that he was behind him all the way. Harry nodded his thanks, touched at Neville's loyalty.

Last of all, he spotted Mr. and Mrs. Diggory among those gathered, and they both nodded to him as well, a gesture he returned with gratitude. It appeared he still had allies.

Percy finished with the parchment he was reading, and an Auror stepped up to the platform, holding Harry's wand. He snapped it in front of Harry's face, and a cheer went up from the people around them. Fudge himself stepped up to the platform at that point, and he taunted, "Any last words before you're sent of to Azkaban, Potter?"

Harry took a slow look around at the people of the wizarding world gathered in the Alley. The Light side, the supposed 'good guys.' He turned his face back to the Minister.

"Just this. One day, you will wish I was here to save you from your Dark Lord. The only question that remains is this; will I have mercy upon you? Or will I leave this land to its fate?"

A dull, angry roar came from the crowd, and Fudge's face showed shock at his words. The Minister angrily signaled a nearby Auror to bring the portkey forward, and the man complied, placing it (a quill) in Harry's hand.

A sharp tug behind his navel later, he found himself inside the unwarded arrivals room of the wizarding prison.

* * *

The dementors were long gone, but Azkaban was still a disheartening place. Built onto what was little more than a rock in the midst of the ocean, it had no ground outside the actual building. The walls were essentially extensions of the cliffs surrounding the island.

The new guards of the prison for the time being appeared to be just a few Aurors. Harry, already in prison clothes from his stay in the Ministry, was immediately led down several long hallways to a lone cell in the most secure part of the facility.

As the door to the tiny, windowless room slammed closed behind him, he sank onto the musty cot and put his head in his hands. The reality of the situation hit him like a brick wall. He had been betrayed, and was now considered a murderer by most of the only world he really knew any more.

:So what comes now, kiddo:

What else _can_ I do, Siri? I have to get out of here right away. Ginny's still in danger, and I'm sure Voldemort's already searching for Katherine. I can't waste my life in here.-

:That's the spirit! So what's the plan:

We'll wait a week or so, give them time to relax a bit, then make our break.-

* * *

It was exactly seven days later when Harry decided it was time for him to leave.

The Ministry had pulled out all the stops for keeping him held there in the prison, and Harry finally concluded they weren't going to let up any time soon, so he'd have to leave immediately. Besides the anti-magic manacles on his arms and legs that kept him from casting spells Wandlessly, there were three Aurors on duty outside his door at all times, and anti-magic wards cast by some of the most powerful and experienced wizards in the world (including Dumbledore himself) all around his cell. They prevented him from using his magic in any way, including his animagus forms.

His cell had 'facilities' in it already, and food was pushed through a cat-flap on the door, so he wasn't even allowed to leave the room.

But there was one thing that everyone trying to keep him there did not know.

Harry Potter was the most powerful wizard in the world.

He stood from his cot and raised his arms, focusing on using his magic. His Wandless Magic training and the Ritual had made him more attuned to the magic residing within him, and it was easy to focus on that feeling of power and call it to him. The wards and manacles repressed the magic, but he simply pushed harder. And harder. And harder.

The magic and the wards and manacles strained against each other, battling for dominance. It was fully an hour before Harry's magic managed to simply overwhelm the defenses, shattering the chains into a thousand pieces and reducing the wards to nothing.

The sound finally alerted the Aurors, and they rushed into the cell to find a terrible sight.

Harry turned to face them, and all three of their mouths dropped in horror. His face was glowing with an otherworldly light, and twin pillars of flame burned in his eyes, until not a trace of green remained to be seen. His hair blew about in an invisible wind, and sparks leapt from his fingertips and flowed up his arms and down the rest of his body.

:You know, you _could_ just turn into a phoenix and escape now.: Sirius suggested half-heartedly.

And where would the fun be in that?-

:Point taken.:

Before the Aurors could even react, Harry had waved his hand and sent them crashing through the open door and into the wall across the hall. Another wave of his hand and the now-unconscious men were bound and gagged.

More Aurors from all over the prison came running, but Harry had faced far more numerous and dangerous foes before. The most any of the guards attempted on him were a few minor hexes and Stunners, all of which were easily blocked by his powerful shields. His returning curses, while not deadly, were nonetheless enough to incapacitate a man for quite some time.

Soon, he was standing in the arrival room, waiting for the reinforcements from the Ministry to arrive. Little more than four grey walls and a strong door, the arrival room was the only area in the entire prison not protected by wards preventing apparition and portkey travel. This was the point where everyone had to come if they wanted to enter or leave the fortress.

Just as Harry had anticipated, Dumbledore was the first to appear, and the headmaster immediately leveled his wand at the young man.

"Hello, Professor," Harry said unconcernedly. "I've been expecting you."

:Um, why exactly were you expecting him:

He and the Ministry have to hear what I have to say before I escape. I'll explain more later.-

"Harry," Dumbledore warned, "Don't be foolish."

Harry shook his head, as a fresh group of Aurors and Hitwizards arrived, all with their wands pointed towards him. "I'm afraid it is you who have been foolish. This is the end of it. Fight your own Dark Lord, since that seems to be what you want. I want no further part of this war."

And before any of them could react, he vanished in a puff of smoke.

As he reappeared in the small cave outside of Hogsmeade where Sirius had once hidden, Sirius let out a grunt of approval.

:Nice touch, the smoke. Makes it seem like you left some other way besides apparition. How'd you come up with that:

Muggle magician thing.-

:Ah, excellent. So, what's the next step:

My trunk. We need to find it. I'm hoping Dumbledore took it himself, because I don't fancy looking for it at the Ministry.-

:Do you really think he'd be able to do that:

I have no idea, but the normal laws and procedures of the rest of Western Civilization don't seem to apply to the wizarding world. Just look at us! We were both sent to prison without a trial!-

:True. I suppose that's why you wanted to create all that mess at Azkaban? So he'd leave the castle:

Got it in one. I had other reasons, but that was the main one.-

At that point, Harry transformed into his phoenix form and vanished in a ball of flames, only to reappear inside the very office of the headmaster himself.

Fawkes, to Harry's relief, was not present, nor was Dumbledore. Harry guessed that the professor was still out trying to find him right then.

"Right," he muttered to himself, glancing hurriedly around, "If I was the professor, where would I keep the trunk of a convicted criminal?"

He noticed, vaguely, that everything seemed to have been repaired since his last visit, as he headed for the desk. A few of the portraits were starting to wake up by this point, and were clamoring to know why he was there.

He ignored them as he spotted his trunk sitting behind the desk, seemingly undisturbed. Fortunately, it seemed the headmaster hadn't had time to take it apart yet. Probably because of all the advanced protection wards and charms from his mother's books that allowed only Harry and Ginny to enter it.

Just to be certain, Harry opened it and peeked down the ladder. Sure enough, his other trunk and all his possessions were down in the room in the exact place he'd left them.

:Good, now let's get out of here.:

Harry grunted in reply; then shrunk the trunk small enough to fit in his pocket and vanished in another ball of flames.

This time, he reappeared in the attic of his godfather's house.

:What are you doing:

Visiting an old friend of ours.-

He retrieved his Invisibility Cloak from within his trunk, and snuck down the stairs to Remus' room. He paused just before knocking, hearing some strange sounds coming from within.

Uh-oh, he isn't . . .-

Sirius let out a whoop. :Way to go, Moony:

Harry grimaced and knocked on the door. "Moony! He called as quietly as he could, so as not to be heard downstairs. "You and Tonks better not be doing what I think you're doing in there!"

Within seconds, the door opened to reveal one very shocked Remus Lupin. He was fully clothed, thankfully, but those same clothes were oddly . . . askew.

"Harry?" Remus asked incredulously.

Tonks, also looking slightly ruffled, appeared behind Remus and glared at Harry. "As if I could get him to do that," she said grumpily. "He's done nothing but mope around since you got yourself thrown in Azkaban."

Remus finally managed to recover enough to dash forward and envelope Harry in a bear hug.

Harry grinned over the shoulder of the man he considered a surrogate uncle. "Nice to see you too, Tonks."

Tonks grinned, but had to pry Remus off him after that so she could pull Harry into a sisterly hug of her own.

"So," said Harry mischievously, as Remus ushered them all into his room, casting a wary eye down both ends of the hallway. "What _were_ you doing in here?"

They blushed and glanced at each other, before Tonks said, "I was teaching him Judo, if you must know. I guess it sounded a little odd through that shoddy Silencing Charm on the door." She threw a pointed glance at a suddenly sheepish Remus. "Anyway, he needed something to work off his frustration at not being able to help you."

:I didn't know Tonks knew Judo.:

Me neither. Auror thing, maybe?-

"Speaking of that," Remus picked up after Tonks, "How the hell did you get out of there, and what are you doing _here_, of all places? You're going to get yourself caught."

Harry waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not going to get caught. I could be out of here in a second if I really needed to. As for how I got out," he trailed off and pointed to his head. "You forget that the spirit of the only other person to escape from Azkaban unaided resides within my mind.

"To answer your second question, I am here to see the two of you. And Moody, I think."

Tonks, to his surprise, did not react to the mention of Sirius, instead asking simply, "Why?"

Assuming Remus had already told her, Harry replied, "That's a question for a later date. For now, just know that I'll send you a portkey sometime in the next few months." He glanced at Remus. "I believe you, Remus, know what the password to activate it will inevitably be; since I am also a Marauder now."

Remus' face lit up with a broad grin. "Now that I do know."

Harry chuckled. "Be sure to let Moody know he'll get one as well. Oh, and can you get a hold of the Diggorys? I'll need to talk to them as well, and I don't think they'll tell anyone about me. Moody's password will be 'Constant Vigilance,' and the Diggorys' will be simply 'Diggory.'

They nodded, and he rose to his feet. "I must go now."

"But where will you go?" Remus asked in alarm.

"To my training in America, of course."

Remus nodded in acceptance, if a little sadly. Harry was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something. "Remus," he said slowly, "Do you know what happened to Hedwig?"

Remus thought about it for a moment. "I think she's with Ginny right now."

Harry nodded, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"What is it?" asked Remus and Tonks at the same time.

Harry touched a finger to his temple. "Sirius says to tell you two lovebirds not to do anything he wouldn't, and that that's very little."

The last thing he saw as he vanished in a ball of flames was their bright red faces.

* * *

He soon reappeared at his next destination: the Astronomy Tower of Hogwarts.

It was now approaching dusk, so Neville would be finishing up dinner. He wouldn't have been able to talk to him earlier, but now was the perfect time.

Shortly thereafter, he was peering out the half-open door of an empty classroom, wrapped in his father's cloak and watching the Gryffindors walk past on their way from the evening meal.

He did not see Ron, Hermione, or Ginny, but Neville was one of the first up.

"Psst. Neville," he whispered.

Neville swung around at the sound of his voice, and looked for the source. When he found he couldn't see anything, he pulled out his wand. "Who is it?" he asked a little shakily.

"It's me, Harry."

"Harry!" he exclaimed, a little too loudly. Luckily, no one paid much attention to him.

"Shut up!" Harry hissed. "Get in here, quick."

He did so immediately, shutting the door behind him. "Harry!" he exclaimed again, as Harry's body materialized out of thin air. "Great to see you, mate, but what're you doing here?"

He reached forward and shook Harry's hand, surprising the Boy-Who-Lived with both his straightforwardness and the strength of his grip. Taking in Neville's overall appearance, including a more muscled frame and a brand new wand, Harry had the sudden thought that someone else beside him had undergone some changes over the summer.

"I'm here to see you, Nev," Harry said. "I can't talk now, but I wanted to say I'm glad you trust me enough to not go running to Dumbledore the minute you see me."

Neville blushed a little bit, reminding Harry that despite a new outward confidence, he was still a bit shy on the inside.

"I didn't think it could be possible for you to do that stuff, Harry," said Neville earnestly. "I've known you for five years. If you really did kill all those men, it was for a good reason."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, they attacked and kidnapped my girlfriend, then tortured her to get to me. And they were Death Eaters."

Neville nodded as though he had expected this. "Ginny came and told me a bit about that. She didn't know everything that happened, only what happened to her, but she's pretty upset. The last week has been really hard on her, and I'm the only one who's still on her side about you."

He paused for a second; then went on. "She didn't tell me a lot about what happened at Malfoy Manor, but whatever it was, it shook her up pretty bad, and I think she needs you for that. She hasn't done so well without you here. Nobody's stuck by her through all this; they all think she's crazy for standing up for you." He shook his head. "She's a strong girl, Harry, exceptionally so, but there's only so much she can take all on her own."

Harry stared at him, ashamed that he had caused all this for Ginny. Briefly, he explained what had happened the night of the kidnapping. "What about Ron and Hermione?" he finally asked when he was finished.

Neville's face became even sadder. "They haven't stuck with her either." Seeing Harry's face, he quickly added, "They don't think the same about you as the headmaster, but they still think you've turned Dark. I was talking to Ron the other night, and he seems to think you've been influenced in some way, to make you turn Dark. He and Hermione both thought that if you were released or something they could 'bring you back.' "

"So they've abandoned Ginny?"

"No, not really. They're still talking to her and everything, but they refuse to believe you did the right thing. Most everyone else avoids her altogether because they think you've betrayed us all." He sighed. "I think Hermione would come around if she was around you and you explained everything to her. She's smart enough to realize that you did what was necessary, but as it is she's only around people who think you're almost as bad as You-Know-Who."

Harry let out the air in his lungs in one long, slow breath. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. This idea of killing Death Eaters is a rather new one for me, and they weren't around for the change so I could talk to them about it." He sighed. "Trouble is, I don't know if I can trust them not to try to capture me or run to the headmaster if they see me, since they think I'm an entirely different person. I just hope someday I have the chance to fix this. Frankly, I'm just surprised that you're with me on it."

Neville shrugged. "I know better than most what happens to people who cross Death Eaters. Personally, I don't appreciate the fact that the people who tortured my parents were able to escape from prison. They should've been executed, not imprisoned."

Harry sighed again and picked up his cloak from where he'd dropped it on the floor. "You're right about that. Well, I'm going to go see Ginny now. Listen, I need your help with something, but I can't tell you about it right now. I'll send you a portkey sometime in the next few months. The password to activate it will be 'Mimbulus Mimbletonia.' Oh yeah," he paused for a second as a thought occurred to him. "How'd you get out of Hogwarts for my little 'send-off?' "

Neville shrugged again. "I asked. Professor Dumbledore gave me permission to leave school for the day. Ginny wanted to go to, but Ron wouldn't let her, and their mum agreed with him or she'd have gone anyway."

"Alright, thanks. I'll see you again as soon as I can."

Neville nodded, and Harry swept himself under the cloak and took off towards Gryffindor Tower.

Once there, he had only to wait for someone with the password to enter, and then he was in the Common Room. Glancing around, he noted that Ginny was not downstairs. He was just beginning to wonder how he was going t oget up the stairs to the girls' dorms when he heard a voice coming from one of the nearby couches.

"Where's Ginny?"

He whirled to find his two best friends sitting down in front of a pile of homework. Ron was apparently the one to have spoken, and he was peering around the room suspiciously.

"Honestly, Ron," said Hermione, "Don't you _ever_ pay attention? Professor Dumbledore called her up to his office. You need to leave her alone. The way you're watching her every move like you expect her to run away any second is not helping things."

Ron looked surly as he opened his mouth to reply, and an argument typical of the two began in earnest.

Harry paid no attention to this, for he was already halfway to the Portrait Hole and on his way to the headmaster's office.

:That meddling old fool! He knew you'd come to see Ginny, so he's keeping her in his office.:

Harry nearly sprinted through the castle, only stopping once he was just down the hall from the stone gargoyle that marked the entrance to his destination. He peeked around the corner just in time to see the statue leap aside, revealing a very confused-yet-angry-looking young redheaded witch, and Dumbledore himself.

"Goodnight, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore was saying.

Ginny shot a glare at him and started walking slowly down the hall towards Harry.

Harry immediately noticed several odd shadows moving along a few feet behind her, and felt an extraordinary anger bubble up within him. Aurors. The best the Ministry had to offer, no doubt. They were hoping to catch him off-guard, and she was the bait.

This calls for a new plan. Any ideas?-

:You know, this reminds me of this one time we wanted to get revenge on Snivellus, and he was traveling with an escort . . . :

Another minute, and they had a plan with which to work.

Harry dashed ahead of his girlfriend a short ways, positioning his still-invisible self at a four-way crossroads in the corridor. As Ginny approached, he took the opportunity to observe her candidly.

She looked like she'd been through a lot. Her hair was all mussed up and sticking out every which way, as though she hadn't bothered to take care of it for some time. There were dark circles under her eyes and it looked as though she'd done a bit of crying recently. She walked slowly, as if she didn't really want to get where she was going, and her face remained set in a scowl as she muttered to herself about the headmaster.

And yet, despite all this, all Harry could think was that she was still the most beautiful girl in all of Hogwarts. He felt a powerful tug on his heartstrings watching her, and a stab of guilt, knowing it was him that caused her so much grief.

He shook off the thought as she passed him. There would be time for that later.

He crept silently up behind her, and pulled open the front of his cloak to grab her from behind, placing one hand over her mouth and the other around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides. He made sure to cover them both with the cloak

To the Aurors trailing her, it would look as if she just vanished into thin air.

Harry pulled her off to the side, down the corridor that went to the left, at the same time casting several spells down the other corridor. Ginny fought him hard, trying to scream and managing to land several strikes to his ribs with her elbow, something he knew would hurt in the morning.

As shouts of 'Where'd she go?' rang down the stone halls, he hissed into her ear, "Is that any way to treat your boyfriend?"

Ginny was so shocked by this that she abruptly stopped struggling altogether. Harry whirled her around to face him and pulled her closer. Without removing his hand from her mouth, he motioned across the corridor to the one that went the other way. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw what appeared to be an image of herself standing a great distance down the opposite hall, and image of Harry alongside her.

Just then, three Aurors came barreling into view. They looked both ways, and when they spotted the images of Harry and Ginny, they took off after them. However, after they took only one step each into the corridor with the images, they gave a cry and seemingly fell right through the floor.

Harry grinned at Ginny, and a wave of his hand dispelled the illusion. Where once there had been a long stone hallway, there was now a set of stairs, down which the three Aurors had fallen.

It had taken the Marauders a month to learn that spell well enough to use it, and since Sirius knew it, Harry knew it, but this was the first time he'd been able to use it. He was exceptionally glad it had gone off so well.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a pair of slender arms around his neck, and a pair of soft lips upon his own. Ginny kissed him hard, with all the passion of someone who had not seen the man she loved in many years.

Harry dropped the cloak in his surprise, but after only a moment kissed her back with equal passion. Soon, he had to push her back.

"You're distracting me," he chided lightly, bending to retrieve the cloak. "We can't be lingering here very long."

Just then, a voice behind him called out, "_Distineo Transformo!"_

Harry whirled, but it was too late, the spell struck him in the chest. It did not hurl him back, but Harry knew at once he would be unable to change into his phoenix form, for it was the anti-animagus jinx.

Dumbledore appeared, from thin air it seemed, with his wand leveled at Harry. Hidden Aurors emerged on all sides, some stepping out of the shadows, some coming out from under Invisibility Cloaks, and a few running down the various corridors. Tonks was not among them, but Kingsley seemed to be their leader. They drew their wands and pointed them towards him from all sides.

He was surrounded.

:Well, well, well. He's smarter than we gave him credit for.:

"Harry," Dumbledore said warningly, "Step away from Miss Weasley and come quietly."

Harry just stood there for a moment, a bemused smile on his face, before he and Ginny vanished with a puff of smoke and an enormous _BOOM!

* * *

_

Another '_BOOM,_' as of a cannon shot, signaled their arrival on a deserted and sunny beach, somewhere far from England that Sirius had stayed for a short time while hiding out from the Ministry.

The moment they appeared, Harry fell to the soft sand, curling into a fetal position and giving a small cry of pure agony. His body felt as though it were literally being burned alive.

Ginny knelt beside him in alarm and put her cool hands on his face. "Harry, what's wrong?"

His eyes, shut tight against the pain, squinted up at her. "The wards," he gritted out through his teeth.

Apparating through the wards of Hogwarts was a tricky and painful business, and Harry hoped he would never be forced to do it again. He was quite surprised he had even managed it at all, having expected them to simply stop him like they stopped everyone else.

:Told ya you could make it:

Ginny was looking at him worriedly, not understanding what was wrong. "Wards?"

The pain was fading slightly now, so he explained, "The wards of Hogwarts. I apparated us right through them." He gave another groan of agony. "They put up one hell of a fight."

He hoped she would be too concerned for him to realize that _she_ should've been in pain as well. He didn't think her fiercely independent side would appreciate the fact that he had shielded her from the wards, making it more painful for him but preventing her from feeling anything at all.

"Are you going to be alright?" she asked.

"I'll be alright." The pain was already fading, and he got shakily to his feet. "I'm _fine_, Gin," he said defensively, when she gave him a skeptical look.

Ginny seemed to finally accept that, for she threw herself into his arms and seemingly tried to squeeze the life out of him with her embrace.

"I was so afraid I'd never see you again," she said, trying to fight back tears. "You promised you'd be just fine, but when they told me you were being sent to that . . . _place_, I thought I'd lost you."

She felt safe and happy for the first time in a week, as he put his strong arms around her and hugged her back. "I thought you knew me better than that," he joked.

She giggled and lifted her head up to look at him, as he reached one hand over and wiped away the tears from her eyes. "Don't you worry about me," he said. "I'm here now."

"I'm being silly," she said, half scolding herself. "You must think I'm acting like a little girl, crying all over the place."

He smiled a little and softly pushed her head back down onto his chest. "To tell you the truth, I'm close to tears myself, knowing I caused you so much pain."

"Typical Harry," she muttered ruefully, "Always taking the blame for everything. Don't you worry about me either, Mr. Potter. It's not your fault, and I'm alright."

He chuckled. "Alright, Miss Weasley, I know better than to argue with you."

"Damn right."

He chuckled again and conjured up a blanket on the sand, guiding her to it and settling the two of them down, she on his lap.

"I'm afraid we need to talk," he said with a sigh. "Neville filled me in on the goings-on at Hogwarts, but I need to know how things are with your family about me."

"Well Ron and Hermione-" she started, but he interrupted her quickly.

"Neville told me about them already. What about everyone else?"

Ginny growled to herself. Ron was such a git. She'd already hexed him three times since Harry's imprisonment.

"Ron, Bill, Charlie, and the twins came to the hospital wing after you left, and everyone stayed with me for some time. After a while, everyone but Ron and I got called to an Order meeting. When they all came back, Dad told us everything. Mum wanted to keep it from us, but Dad insisted we deserved to know, since it was about you.

She scowled darkly. "They started telling us all sorts of rubbish about how you'd 'gone Dark,' and were probably going to Azkaban pretty soon. I couldn't believe they'd all turn their backs on you so fast, but they all trust Dumbledore too much. He told them you were on the road to becoming like Tom himself, and you'd be much worse if given the chance. Naturally, I got pretty angry, and I . . ." She trailed off uncomfortably.

"You what?" Harry prompted.

"I yelled at them," she said in a very small voice.

Harry stared at her incredulously for s minute, then laughed a deep, belly laugh that she could feel rumbling in his chest. "You yelled at them? All of them? That's my fiery-tempered girlfriend alright."

She turned a light shade of pink. "Not _all_ of them. Fred and George said they agreed with me, so I spared them."

"Fred and George agree with you?"

"They sure do. They have _so_ much respect for you, Harry, I don't think anything can shake their trust. You know them, they've always been the ones against authority, so they weren't so quick to trust Dumbledore."

"But you yelled at the rest of them?"

"Yep. Everyone else got a good thrashing until mum started shouting back." Her face took on a surly look. "She's assigned Ron to be my minder since then. I'm not allowed to do_ anything_ without him around to keep an eye on me. I think she was afraid I'd go and try to break you out."

'She probably would've, too,' Harry thought to himself.

"So how'd you get out anyway?" Ginny suddenly asked.

Harry took a deep breath, and told her everything that had happened since he was arrested, including his meetings that had taken place during the rest of the day.

"So what happens now?" she asked, when he was finished.

Harry replied, "I'm going to go ahead and go to the States for my training. I've still got to keep searching for Katherine, and I've got to gather allies."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know how much good it'll do, but I said a few things to Dumbledore and to the Minister at the Alley that may make Voldemort think I'm abandoning the war here, assuming he hears about them."

"And you're not?"

"Of course not. No, that's just to buy me some time. He'll probably leave me alone for a while if he doesn't consider me an immediate threat. Eventually, he'll come after me, since I'd inevitably be an obstacle on his path to world domination, but he'll want time to gather strength and figure out a way to kill me before he tries anything. While he's busy with the Order here, I'm going to gather allies and form an army of my own."

"What kind of allies?" Ginny asked curiously.

"Wizards that agree with me, maybe a few magical governments if I can convince them, but mostly some of the groups magical creatures and persecuted wizards. Voldemort's got all the remaining Giants on his side, but that still leaves multitudes of Vampires, Werewolves, and Goblins. While none of them have chosen sides, we have to offer them better than they'll get under Voldemort or they'll join him to escape the prejudice and persecution they experience under the magical world."

He shifted her off his lap and stood to start pacing. "I understand now what I'm supposed to do, Gin. I'm not just supposed to defeat Voldemort, though he _is_ the more pressing and immediate danger. I'm not a part of the Light side _or_ the Dark side. I am an enemy of both.

"The time has come for change. I'm going to defeat Voldemort, but it won't end there. The current Ministry has to be replaced with one that isn't prejudiced and corrupt. The world cannot go on like this. Goblin revolts will continue to occur, Dark Lords will keep rising from the ranks of pureblooded maniacs bent on 'purity of blood,' and people like Remus will continue to be denied basic rights due them. I'm not on anyone's side any more. I'm not Light, I'm not Dark, I'm some sort of combination. Grey, perhaps." An odd memory, from a book he'd read many years before, came to his mind. 'The Grey Wizard,' he thought to himself with a chuckle. 'I wonder if I could possibly do old Gandalf justice?'

"Harry?" Ginny's voice brought him back to reality. "Take me with you."

He froze, then slowly turned around and knelt in front of her. Taking both of her hands in his, he looked straight into her eyes, willing her to accept what he was about to tell her. "I can't, it's too dangerous." Her face reddened considerably and to avoid an explosion of the Weasley temper, he hastily added, "I know you don't need me to protect you, really I do. I promise I'm not trying to shelter you. It's just . . ." He paused and considered his words carefully. "You're a brilliant with, and you can stand up with the best of them for courage, but you've still only completed four years of your Hogwarts education. I may be going into situations where it'll be necessary to leave in a hurry, and you can't even apparate yet."

He paused again to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I know you aren't happy with them right now, but I need you to stay here with your family. Get as much of your education finished as possible – I'll be back for you as soon as I can." He smiled "Maybe I can even finish teaching you myself once I get a place where we can stay."

She continued glaring at him for several long seconds, but finally nodded reluctantly, acknowledging that while she didn't like what he was saying, it made sense.

"I don't want to stay here without you," she said. Old feelings of self-doubt were resurfacing. What if, out there, he found someone better? It was silly, she knew this. Harry would never betray her. Yet she couldn't help feeling that she wasn't good enough for him, and if he ever realized this, he'd only stay with her out of obligation, and she didn't want that.

"It's more than that isn't it?" Harry asked shrewdly, watching her face. "There's something else, isn't there?" She turned away from him, but he reached a hand up and placed it under her chin, pulling her face back to face him. "Tell me," he pleaded gently.

"I just," she trailed off, embarrassed, then finally blurted, "I'm just afraid you'll find someone better than me." Her face turned red and she looked down.

Harry's mouth hung open in shock for a minute, until he gave a quiet chuckle. She honestly thought she wasn't good enough for him? He supposed that was his own fault. She'd spent so much time being completely ignored by him that she didn't really think it was real now.

"How could I possibly find anyone better?" he asked her. "I've already got the cleverest, funniest, most beautiful girl in the world right here in front of me. Who could be better?"

Her face turned even redder at his words, but she muttered, "That's not true. There're loads of girls better than me."

He shook his head and stood up, raising her to her feet and pulling her close for a long kiss. When they separated, he whispered, "There is no one else for me. I love you, Ginny Weasley, and I always will. I don't ever want to feel this way about anyone else, and I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. I hope you're willing to wait for a foolish prat like me."

Ginny stared at him, hardly even able to believe what he had just said. Never before had he told her he loved her. Sure, he'd said he cared for her, and said he thought he was falling for her, but he'd never said those three simple words before. Michael had told her that, but she knew now that he had never really loved her. Not like Harry did.

"I love you too, Harry. And of course I'll wait for you. I've been waiting for you my whole life; what's a little bit longer?" She sighed. "I'm sorry for being so silly."

Harry pulled her close again and waved his hand. Music seemed to come from nowhere, and the two of them started swaying slightly in each other's arms. Neither of them really knew how to dance, but it didn't matter. They were just happy to be together for a while.

"Do you really have to leave?" Ginny asked, though she knew the answer. She lay her head on his chest and closed her eyes, breathing in his scent.

"Good-bye doesn't mean forever, Gin," he whispered back.

By the time the music faded, they were both near tears, knowing that it was time to go.

"I have to go now, Gin," Harry whispered. "Don't worry about the Ministry; they have nothing they can pin on you. For all they know I kidnapped you. In fact, you can tell them I tried to get you to run away with me but you wouldn't do it. That'll keep you safe from them."

He tapped the locket that was placed around her lovely neck, muttering a few spells. "There. It's a two-way portkey between here and your dorm at Hogwarts. Just say how you feel about me and it activates. Any time you're in danger, use it to escape here, and it'll alert me that you've done it. I can be here in only moments."

He wiped the tears from her eyes and gave her one last kiss. "I'll send you another portkey in the next few months. I'll need your help with the meeting with everyone. The password will be the same as this one. Hedwig will know where to find me. Take care of her for me. I love you."

"I love you, Harry," she whispered, and with that, a sharp tug behind her navel announced portkey travel.

* * *

AN

We have finally found out the reason for the title of this fic. The meaing is two-fold. One on hand, we have Harry's supposed 'Betrayal of the Light,' (ie, he had betrayed the Light.). On the other hand, we have the 'Betrayal of the Light,' (ie, the Light has betrayed Harry.)

I know that a great many of you will be quite angry about Dumbledore, the Weasleys, and Hermione's reactions. I ask only that you allow me to explain my reasoning. Dumbledore is a very strong Light wizard, I believe, and I don't think he'd resort to Dark Magic under any circumstances. As such, when he sees the path Harry's taking, it immediately reminds him of Tom Riddle and the path that young man took many years before. He knows Harry has the potential to be stronger than Voldemort (though exactly how much stronger, Harry has kept hidden), so he believes it's better to keep fighting Voldemort for the present until he can think of some other solution, rather than let Harry win and take over as the new Dark Lord. I find this to be a reasonable explanation, but I'm quite certain many of my readers won't. I respect this.

As for Ron and Hermione, as I said, THEY HAVE NOT ABANDONED HIM. They trust the headmaster enough to believe that Harry really has turned 'Dark,' but they don't think that's an irreversible situation. They hope they can bring him back, but they're not quite sure how.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have spent their entire lives trusting Dumbledore, so they believe him, but they have their doubts, and like Ron and Hermione, they privatelyhope that perhaps one day the situation can be remedied. For now, they're saddened at the 'loss,' of a young man they consider their 7th son, just as they were saddened by Percy's betrayal.

Bill and Charlie, since they've only really met Harry a couple times, are more inclined to just follow the headmaster on this, in the absence of a better explanation.

Fred and George, who are my favorite characaters EVER, speak for themselves with their tendency to go against the norm.

I hope that clears up a few things. All that said, REVIEW! No flames please, but if you're not happy with the story, feel free to tell me so. Tell me everything. In fact, just review to say 'I read it,' if you can't think of anything else.

Author's Edit: I had to edit this chapter and several others to remove the song lyrics, which I think is totally BOGUS, since I clearly stated that they weren't my lyrics, they just fit. But what can I do? Anyway, if you want to read the REAL version of any of my stories, you'll have to go to Sink Into Your Eyes, a fan fiction archive which is part of the hgnetwork, since things are different than I originally wrote them.

Review Responses:

**Si-FiAdict246:** Me too, which is why I put it in here this way. It makes things a little more unique.

**shootingstar86: **Well, I can't guarantee anything since I seem to be getting busier every day, but if you want to drop me an email (the link is in my profile) we'll talk and see what happens. I'm interested in helping you out in any case, thanks for asking me.

**PGHammer: **Personally, I don't think pensieves are really used for evidence. Remember, JKR said that pensieve memories tend to be biased towards the person they belong to, so they'd be 'tainted' evidence. Even if they could be used, there'd have to actually be a trial. Valid point though, if he'd had a trial, that may have been a good thing to use.

**bree:** Ah, perhaps so, but remember he's not really a Light wizard any more. Not Dark, but not Light either. There's also the fact that the mind when in animal form changes. He was part-Dragon when he attacked the Death Eaters. Unless you're talking about Malfoy, in which case...well he warned him.

**Fan of Great Works:** Should I have had him call up the Sword of Gryffindor and slice him into pieces? Now that I would've actually enjoyed quite a bit (ferret steaks anyone?), but then we wouldn't have our philosophical debate over the Dark Arts.

**john:** oooh, you were the only one to spot that I think. I wasn't going to say anything, but Narcissa saw the whole thing and told the Aurors when theyarrived. They reported to Fudge. Of course, she was too scared of Harry to try and kill him for revenge (openly, that is) maybe I'll make her and Lucius half-mad with rage against Harry over this in the future.

**Briea: **Yep, it's on their new album. JC-S bought it.

The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make his face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.

**B-A-HPlova22: **A little out of character perhaps, but keep in mind his whole mindset on magic and killing in general is changing over the course of this fic. I do think you're right, he's a lot different in my fic now than he is in JKR's books. It's kinda what I'm going for, but I just hope I don't go so far that it becomes too ridiculous.

**SeleneA:** I doubt there'll be a sequel, but we're at about the halfway point as far as the number of chapters goes now.

**athenakitty: **Yes. A couple months. No. No.

**Netap:** Looks like you got it right with the second one. Excellent guess.

**Dragonic: **Yep, good guess.

**wvchemteach: **Lol, true...although I see the Reductor Curse as more of a hand-grenade spell. Use it on groups of Death Eaters...

You bring up some valid points about Malfoy. He did do it rather well when we consider his past encounters with Harry, but keep in mind he didn't just go in there and do it all alone. There were others that took out the Order guard (I didn't mention it in the chapter, but Hestia Jones was watching Harry and Ginny and she was killed by the other Death Eaters) etc. Someone else also gave him the portkey. All he had to do was grab her from behind and hold on long enough to touch the portkey to her.

Killing him off was a hard decision, since I had even a few more encounters with him planned, but it proved ultimately necessary for the plot. We still have Snape hanging around though, even if he's not near as fun.

And I also disagree with some of the choices Harry's making. The views he expresses in this fic are a bit more extreme than strictly necessary, something he'll need to discover. I haven't even begun to cover the emotional aspects that will be taking their toll on him after killing Draco, and this will undoubtedly be an important part of his road to self-discovery.


	20. Renegade Warrior

AN

I know, I know, and I'm sorry. I really am.

I'm rushing to get this in as it is. No review replies I'm afraid. I'll reply to your reviews from last chapter and this chapter at the same time when I update again. This hasn't even been betaed because it'd take too long, so here it is.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 20

Renegade Warrior

Only minutes after seeing his girlfriend leave, Harry was back in England. After all the Flame Travel and apparition (which a general ache in his body wouldn't let him forget for a while yet) he had done that day, he was starting to get tired. He hoped that this would be the last stop he would have to make that day.

He appeared in a ball of flames in the midst of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes to near pitch black, indicating that it was now late at night, and the shop was obviously closed.

Knowing that the two eccentric inventors lived in a small apartment over their precious shop, Harry took a step towards where he knew the staircase was hidden.

Too late, it occurred to him that just _appearing_ anywhere near the twins was a very dangerous idea.

Even as he was thinking this, an alarm of some sort went off at full blast, making him wince in pain. Simultaneously, several red lights that looked to have been stolen from a police vehicle flashed on.

Harry felt, rather than heard, the object falling straight towards the top of his head, but by the time he gained enough presence of mind to throw himself out of the way, the water balloon had already hit him, drenching him in not water, as he'd first thought, but smelly, sticky yellow slime.

Before he'd even had time to be disgusted with this, a hole opened in the wall to his right, and a length of rope came rocketing out of it straight towards him.

:Look out: Sirius cried frantically.

Harry _just_ managed to cast dual Banishing Charms at the ground beneath him, propelling him up and over the rope and out of harm's way.

But it seemed the shop's automated defenses (or booby-traps, really) weren't finished with him yet. The air was soon filled with projectiles aimed at him, and Harry was forced to use a combination of magical shields and magically-enhanced acrobatics to avoid being hit.

At one point, a muggle children's toy arrow struck him on the forehead, cheap rubber suction cup making a small squelching sound as it stuck. At first, it seemed to have no effect on him, but when he reached up to remove it, Harry quickly found that it was stuck on more strongly than if it had been soaked in super glue.

Ducking into a roll to avoid another falling balloon, Harry decided to leave the arrow be for the moment, and concentrate on more pressing matters.

Harry was already panting harshly from exertion at this point. Fortunately for him, the alarms and booby traps suddenly and inexplicably shut off, leaving him to collapse, exhausted, to the floor.

A red-haired and freckle-faced head appeared above him, and a mouth opened to say, "Oi, what's the idea, barging into our shop? You could've got yourself hurt!"

"Nah," Harry panted, "None of your stuff is clever enough to stop me – you know that."

Fred, for it was he, grinned and offered Harry a hand up. "If you hadn't given us our start, I'd make sure you regretted saying that," the redheaded twin threatened good-naturedly.

Once on his feet, Harry bent over and put his hands on his knees, willing his breathing to return to normal.

George was over by the stairs that led up to their apartment, standing at a control panel filled with brightly colored and strangely shaped buttons. "What do you think of our security system, Harry?" he called out, pressing a bright orange button that caused all the debris in the shop to vanish.

"Rather disappointing, really," Harry replied, straightening up to walk over to him. "You could've done a lot better." He realized the toy arrow was still stuck to his forehead, and reached his hand up to tug it off.

"Oh . . . we have," said Fred slyly from behind Harry, having followed him over. "The shop just recognized you, so it didn't go into the more dangerous protection mode."

Harry, grunting with the effort of trying to yank the suction cup off his forehead, stopped what he was doing to turn and stare at him. "You mean to tell me that the shop can recognize me, and yet it still turned on all the security?" he demanded.

The grin on the redheaded twin's face was all the answer he needed, and Harry groaned aloud. "You two are impossible."

"Here," said George, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder and turning him around, "Let me get that for you." He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the arrow. "_Evanesco."_

The arrow vanished without a trace, leaving Harry to rub the spot where it had been thoughtfully. "Why didn't _I_ think of that?"

"Most people don't," said Fred, walking around Harry to stand next to his twin. "Wizards are very narrow-minded thinkers. They focus completely on the apparent problem, instead of 'thinking outside the box,' to use a muggle phrase."

"But enough about that," said George taking Harry by the arm and steering him towards the stairs, "We have a lot to talk about."

Upstairs, the three of them were soon seated in the tiny kitchen at a fold-up poker table, butterbeers in hand.

In between swigs, Harry quickly filled the twins in on everything that had been going on, from the training he was going to, to his escape from Azkaban and plan to form his own army.

"I could really use your help, guys," he said earnestly. "I need as many people on my side as I can get, and you two are brilliant inventors. Your help would be especially useful."

Fred and George looked at each other for a long time, communicating without any words. After what seemed an eternity to Harry, they turned back to him and, in an uncharacteristically solemn fashion, shook his hand one at a time.

"We're with you, Harry, all the way," they said in unison.

"We have one condition, though," said Fred.

"Anything."

"We want Lee Jordan in on it too."

Harry took a moment to consider it. The twins obviously trusted Lee implicitly; else they would never have asked such a thing. "Are you sure he's on our side?" he asked cautiously, after a moment.

"Without a single doubt," George responded immediately.

"Alright, he's in."

Silence descended for a few moments, as each of them became lost in his thoughts upon the changes taking place in their world.

After a short time, Fred spoke up again, "Harry, you said Ginny told you that we believed you. When did you see her?"

"Just before I came here."

"And . . ." Fred trailed off, looking nervous and uncomfortable.

"And what?" Harry prompted.

"And where is she now?" George finished for his brother.

"Oh." Harry shrugged. "She's back at Hogwarts, why?"

The twins exchanged a quick glance. "We thought she'd convince you to take her with you," George explained.

"We knew she wouldn't want to be left behind, and she's very stubborn," Fred added, nodding.

Harry smiled ruefully. "That she is," he said, almost to himself. "I convinced her she had to at least finish school and learn to apparate before she could follow me all around the world. It's a good thing, too. She's safer at Hogwarts."

"What makes you think that?" asked George, eyebrows lifting in surprise. When Harry looked at him quizzically, he added, "Harry, you've encountered more dangerous situations at Hogwarts than most Aurors do in their first few years of work. Voldemort's got into Hogwarts before, what makes you think she'll be any safer there than you were?"

"I-" Harry started to say, but stopped. It was true, there was no denying it. Why hadn't he remembered that? "You're right. What do I do? She can't come with me, and I don't know anywhere else she can stay. She's Voldemort's number one priority after me, as far as murdering-slash-kidnapping goes."

Both redheads shrugged. "We don't know, Harry," said Fred. "We can find excuses to go up and check on her every week or so, and we can watch her in Hogsmeade, but we can't protect her every minute."

Harry put his head in his hands and massaged his temples wearily. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid. What could he do now? Ginny was a fierce fighter, but Voldemort would pull out all the stops to get his hands on her. How would she do if a dozen Death Eaters attacked her? What-

His hands stopped, and he looked up slowly, a thought taking root in his mind. That would be perfect.

"I know just what to do," he said to Fred and George. "Don't worry about a thing, she'll be just fine."

They both nodded, trusting Harry to take care of their sister.

"Well, I better get going," Harry said, rising from his seat. "I'll send you that portkey soon." He headed for the door, but Fred's voice stopped him with his hand on the knob.

"Harry!" He turned just in time to catch the small, black, pear-shaped object the redhead had thrown to him. Its surface was as smooth as glass, except for a tiny red button on the round bottom.

"What is it?" he asked curiously.

"Our latest invention," George replied. "You inspired it. It only works once, but if you're ever in a tight spot with a lot of enemies, just hit the red button and chuck in the middle of 'em."

Harry examined it a moment longer. "Thanks." He pocketed it and called out a farewell as he left the apartment.

Outside the anti-apparition wards on the apartment, Harry prepared to apparate to what he hoped was his last destination of the night. He was getting tired by this point, but he had to do one last thing to ensure Ginny's safety.

* * *

It was well past one in the morning and she was exhausted, but Ginny still didn't go back to Gryffindor Tower for the night.

Fully a month had passed since she'd last seen Harry, and in that time, she'd been unable to sleep so much as wink.

It felt so odd for him to not be there, just a few feet away in another bed, within reach if she needed him. If she tried to sleep, her thoughts inevitably turned to him, and she would end up spending the entire night worrying.

So instead she wandered the halls of the old castle at night, trying to exhaust herself enough to doze off.

And doze off she did – during meals, during her studying, and during classes. Her school work was suffering, and her professors, her family, and her friends were all starting to worry about her.

But she didn't care. She'd never really had any friends besides Neville, Luna, and Hermione anyway, and she was fed up with her family for siding with Dumbledore over Harry. Luna was still easily her best friend. Just the other day Luna had even said she didn't think Harry was a Dark Wizard because when he was born he had been blessed by a Witch Doctor from the island of Nethos, and therefore was incapable of being Dark.

Ginny had no idea where Nethos was or if it even existed, but she appreciated the support from Luna anyway. She got little enough as it was. Neville was the only other person that still supported Harry with her, so the three of them usually hung out together.

For the most part though, Ginny avoided even them, preferring to be alone with her thoughts. Fortunately, she knew her way around the castle better than most people (thanks to Fred and George), so she was able to avoid everyone most of the time.

_Un_fortunately, she was unaware of the fact that several people had noticed her behavior. Several people she did not want anything to do with.

So it was that when a dozen or so Slytherin students sprang from their hiding places to completely surround her, wands drawn, Ginny was taken completely by surprise.

Even so, she had not trained with Harry all summer to simply be taken without a fight. Faster than the eye could see, she had her wand drawn and a Stunner cast at the nearest student, who turned out to be Crabbe. Before her would-be attackers could even recover from the shock of seeing the enormous student crumple to the floor, she had moved her wand on the next target and cast the Full-Body Bind, leaving Nott helpless and immobile.

But even all of Harry's training could not prepare her to face twelve opponents at the same time on all sides, and no sooner had she managed to let loose another Stunner at a dumbfounded Goyle than one of the Slytherins behind her finally shook himself out of his stupor and cast the spell to bind her with magical ropes.

Ginny knew it was too late when she heard him speak the words of the spell, but she tried to turn anyway, raising her wand. The ropes reached her before she could open her mouth, wrapping themselves tightly around her entire body, pinning her arms to her sides and forcing her legs together. She wobbled for a moment, unbalanced with the ropes binding her, then inevitably fell to the floor hard.

Her fall seemed to bring the rest of the Junior Death Eaters to their senses, and they immediately went into a blur of motion. Somebody darted forward and snatched Ginny's wand from her hand (thought it made little difference, since any spell she cast would've just hit her own leg anyway), and another cast a Silencing Charm on her when she opened her mouth to scream for help.

The three students Ginny had managed to incapacitate were soon brought around, and Goyle assigned to pick her up and carry her down the corridor.

Slung over his shoulder like a sack of meal, Ginny was utterly humiliated and furious with herself for having been caught. On top of that didn't think she'd ever felt or smelled anything more disgusting in her life than Goyle.

"Not so tough now, are you Weasley?" hissed a voice to her left. She turned her head to find Pansy Parkinson walking along next to her, a positively maniacal gleam in her eyes.

"That's enough, Pansy," said someone else. Ginny recognized the voice as the one that had cast the rope-binding spell on her. She got her first look at him out of the corner of her eye. He looked somewhat familiar to her, though she couldn't quite remember the name – something with a 'Z' perhaps?

"Who made you the boss, Zabini?" Pansy snarled, throwing what she probably thought was an intimidating glare in his direction.

_Blaise Zabini, that was it!_ Ginny thought to herself.

"Lucius Malfoy did, actually," Blaise replied mildly. "Our orders are very clear; grab the Weasley girl and bring her to the Forest. Mr. Malfoy will be waiting there for her. In the meantime, we're not supposed to speak to her." His gaze turned diamond-hard and his voice lowered considerably. "Now be silent or I'll tell Mr. Malfoy about the problems your theatrics caused. You should've just Stunned her from behind instead of rushing ahead to start an ambush and forcing us all to play along. She could've gotten away."

Pansy's mouth closed with a snap, but she was clearly still furious with Blaise. She moved away, muttering under her breath, and Blaise turned back to ensure that the rest of the party kept moving.

By this time, Ginny was starting to panic. She had her portkey, of course (she never went anywhere without it around her neck), but it was useless unless she could speak, and the Silencing Charm prevented that. Too bad she hadn't thought of it earlier.

She had been attacked on the seventh floor, and they had now reached the sixth. Her mind worked frantically, trying to come up with some means of escape. She didn't want to be taken to Tom again, didn't want to see those horrible red eyes and slit-nostrils.

Just then, she remembered something Harry had said about the most vulnerable part of a man's body. What was it exactly again? Oh yes.

"_No matter who he is, Gin, if you hit him there, he'll crumple like a tin can."_

Of course, she still had no idea what a tin can was, but the meaning was clear. She shifted her legs, which were hanging down Goyle's front, just slightly and bent her knees, which pulled her feet out and away from his body.

The fact that they were tied together made it quite difficult, but she managed anyway, and with what little strength and weight she could manage to put behind them, she shoved her feet forward again, driving them into his groin.

Goyle grunted and collapsed onto his knees, dropping Ginny as if she were on fire to press both his hands to his groin. Ginny ignored his agonized moans as she quickly struggled to free herself from her bonds.

Just as she'd hoped, Zabini had not had much practice using the spell, and it did not bind her as tightly as it should have, and she quickly managed to free one of her hands. Praying desperately to every god ever worshipped that the Junior Death Eaters hadn't got their wits about them enough to stop her, she made to dive for Goyle's wand.

A sound, one that could only be described as a high pitched war cry, stopped her. She looked up in surprise to find that a half-dozen or so small blurs had appeared seemingly from nowhere and were now darting among the Slytherins, blasting them into the walls of the stone hallway as if they were little more than leaves in the wind.

Within seconds, all twelve of the students that had ambushed Ginny were unconscious, many of them looking considerably the worse for wear.

To Ginny's complete surprise, her saviors were none other than seven House-Elves. Most of them hung back and watched her from a distance, but the one that seemed to be the leader rushed forward and snapped his fingers, vanishing her bonds with a loud _crack_!

He helped her to her feet (Though he was so small he really wasn't any help), and immediately began to brush her off, talking animatedly all the while.

"We is sorry we is late, Miss Wheezy," he said, seemingly horrified with himself. She noticed he was wearing an extremely large number of hats on his head, one on top of the other. They wobbled dangerously as he backed away and bowed low, his long, pencil-like nose nearly touching the stone floor. "We is supposed to be being here earlier, but we is also supposed to be cleaning the castle."

The now quite upset Elf turned on his heavily-sock-clad heal, ran to the nearest wall, and began to beat his head against it. The other Elves made to do the same, but Ginny quickly cried "STOP!" and all seven of them froze and looked at her.

"Stop that," she said again, less loudly, and went on, "What do you mean you were supposed to be here? And who are you anyway?"

"I is called Dobby, Miss," replied the leader. "And we is supposed to be keeping dangerous ones from hurting you."

Ginny's head was throbbing now, both from her earlier falls and from the effort of trying to understand what was now going on. "Why?" she finally asked.

Dobby blinked his enormous, tennis-ball-sized eyes at her, and stated, as though it was obvious, "Because Harry Potter is asking us to, Miss. He is entrusting his Miss Wheezy's safety to us."

"Harry?" Ginny was even more confused now. Harry had gotten a bunch of House-Elves to protect her? But no, the other six elves were wearing tea towels stamped with the Hogwarts crest. They were Hogwarts elves. "Wait," she said confusedly, "Why would you do what Harry asked? Don't you take orders from the Headmaster? And does Professor Dumbledore know about this?"

"Usually we is taking orders from the Headmaster, Miss," Dobby replied, shifting nervously from foot to foot. "But Harry Potter is the master of this castle, so we is doing what he says as well. He is telling us not to tell the Headmaster, Miss."

Eyes widening in shock, Ginny demanded, "Harry is the master of Hogwarts? How is that possible?"

Dobby wrung his long-fingered hands together. "He is being the last descendent of the founders, Miss. After Lord Slytherin left, the other three owned the castle. Harry Potter is the descendent of Lord Gryffindor."

He suddenly darted forward and grabbed her hand. "Come, Miss, we must be getting you back to your bed. You is not safe here."

Ginny found herself being pulled down the corridor towards Gryffindor Tower by a being less than half her size. "What about them?" she asked, nodding over her shoulder towards the unconscious Slytherins behind them.

"We is taking care of them, Miss," Dobby replied hurriedly, still dragging her along. "We is taking them to the Headmaster for punishment." The rest of the elves seemed to have stayed behind to do just that, because they didn't follow she and Dobby.

A short time later, Ginny found herself laying back on her own bed with the curtains drawn, trying to sort through her thoughts. It had been an eventful night, there could be no doubt about that. She had been attacked, found out she had her own personal bodyguard, and found out that her boyfriend owned Hogwarts all in one night.

Her confused thoughts slowly turned to anger, as she realized what it meant. Harry had been keeping secrets from her. He had gone behind her back and gotten Dobby to watch her all the time, without even telling her.

That boy was in for one hell of a howler come morning.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore had never felt older than he did at that moment. He had just come back from speaking with the twelve students responsible for attacking young Miss Weasley, and as he rode the revolving staircase to his office, he was quite frankly at a loss for what to do. Should he expel them?

His thoughts were interrupted when he entered his office and immediately sensed an intruder. One did not live with magic as long as he had and not become attuned to it. He knew the second he walked through his door that a magical being of some sort was sitting in his chair, so he quickly drew his wand and pointed it at the back of the chair behind his desk.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The chair slowly turned to reveal none other than a slightly amused-looking Harry Potter.

It took all the Headmaster's nearly hundred and fifty years of discipline to keep from dropping his wand and gaping in astonishment.

"Surprised?" Harry asked mockingly.

The aging professor ignored the remark altogether, choosing instead to tighten his hold on his wand and reply, "Come quietly, Harry, I don't want to have to fight you."

The boy simply snorted. "We'll see." He stood slowly and clapped his hands together once. "Now, to business. I came to speak to you about the students who attacked my girlfriend."

"I assure you, Harry, they will be sufficiently punished," Dumbledore replied. He decided to try to keep the boy talking. He was now trying to strengthen the wards around the officer Wandlessly, and the more time he had to do so, the better his chances of capturing Harry.

The Boy-Who-Lived's eyes turned ice cold and his features hardened until they appeared etched into stone. "I want them gone," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "They have endangered the life of a student deliberately and maliciously, under the orders of Voldemort. Expel them, or I will take care of them myself. I guarantee you will not like the result if I take matters into my own hands."

Dumbledore almost shivered at the end of that sentence. Something about Harry's tone of voice told him that he would make good on his threat.

"Very well, Harry, they will be expelled. Now come with me."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Not a chance."

"If that is your decision, you leave me no choice," Dumbledore said sadly. "_Stupefy!_" The jet of red light leapt from the end of his wand, but by the time it reached the spot Harry had been standing, the boy had already dived to the side out of the way. Instead, it stuck the bookshelf set against the wall and blasted apart several of the volumes resting there.

Harry stood, a smirk on his face; then seemed to concentrate for a moment. His eyes widened in surprise, and he said, "Anti-animagus wards. I'm impressed."

A second spell sped his way, but he dodged it, allowing it to strike the table with the silver instruments that had been behind him. He concentrated for a second time, and this time nearly fell over in shock. "And stronger Anti-Disapparation wards than the rest of the castle? Not bad at all."

What followed shortly after this sentence was one of the most impressive displays of magic Hogwarts had seen in many, many years. Two of the most powerful wizards in the world dueled each other as if their lives depended on it, and after only ten minutes of battle the office was left in ruins.

While Harry was clearly the more powerful and faster of the two, Dumbledore had over a century and a half of magical knowledge to draw upon, and it was soon clear to both of them that the Headmaster would emerge the victor unless something changed.

"Give yourself up, Harry," Dumbledore demanded, using a powerful shield to block a flurry of curses cast by his opponent. "You cannot win."

But Harry only grinned knowingly. "Perhaps not," he replied. He let loose a sudden barrage of extremely powerful spells that had the Headmaster struggling to hold his ground, then broke out into a run across the battered room. Just as he reached the window, he called over his shoulder "But I can escape!" And with that, he leapt headfirst through the window, shattering the glass and plummeting towards the ground three stories below.

Dumbledore rushed to the window in time to see his former student transform into a Phoenix and vanish in a ball of flames.

"Until we meet again . . ." sighed the old man sadly.

* * *

AN

Just a note: the heir of Gryffindor thing is overused, so I promise it won't be a big deal in this story. I added it in there because I honestly have believed he's the heir of Gryffindor since before I read ANY fan fictions, so I thought it'd be stupid of me to leave it out just because so many others have used it.

Review responses at a later date.


	21. Here Without You

AN

It's good to be back! My most sincere apologies for the tremendous wait for this chapter. If you check out my author profile, you'll find out the reasons for my absence.

This chapter isn't terribly long - I thought it was more important to just get an update out to you guys ASAP, since the next one will be considerably longer, I think.

Remember that site I've been going on about for so long? Well it's finally ready to be released! I recently decided to make it the place where I put ALL my review responses, so the ones from the previous chapter that were never written are now there, as well as the ones from this chapter. Just click the "homepage" button on my profile, and you'll be there in a flash.

Also, in light of the fact that review responses are no longer allowed on this site, I have decided to open my own site to ALL authors who wish to have a place to put their review responses for their readers.Plus I've opened up a few discussionary boards, etc for everyone. So whether you want to post your review responses, meetand chat with your favorite authors, or just hangout, it's the place to be!Just email me or ask on the site for more details.

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 21

Here Without You

The halls of Hogwarts were nearly always cold and dark at night, and the night that found Harry carefully wending his way through them was no exception.

It was dangerous for him to be there, but he simply couldn't take it any longer. It was nearing the end of November and he hadn't seen Ginny since that day on the beach.

Nearly a month and a half had passed since he and the Dumbledore had fought in the headmaster's office, but the school was still on high alert. Aurors were stationed at every entrance and extra wards had been cast.

He had had to come in outside the grounds and sneak in through the Forbidden Forest. Even so, the effort of maintaining the spell that concealed his magical signature from the castle was costing him a lot of effort and concentration, making it all the more difficult to make sure the Invisibility Cloak did not slip from his body and reveal him where he walked. He could not _wait_ to finally reach Gryffindor Tower, where the multitude of people would confuse the wards and enable him to walk undetected without the signature-shield.

A very small sound reached his ears. Had he not had a spell placed upon himself to enhance his hearing, he would not have noticed. As it was, he identified the sound at once – the soft, padded footfalls of a cat. _Mrs. Norris_, he thought immediately. He froze at once and waited, silent.

**_I hate that cat; she nearly got me caught more than once while I was trying to get to Wormtail. You have no idea how tempting it was to chase her all around this castle as Padfoot._** There was a distinct growl in Sirius's voice as he said it, and Harry could just picture the glare upon his godfather's face.

_Oh, I think I know._ Harry responded, just as the small, grey animal rounded the corner ahead of him.

She stopped just in front of where he stood, invisible, and sniffed the air suspiciously.

Carefully, and ever so slowly (all the while thanking Merlin he had put silencing charms on his feet), Harry stepped to the right and around the cat. Just as he was going to try to sneak off, he stopped. It was too perfect an opportunity. He was close enough to Gryffindor Tower that he could get inside in time, and Filch would just think it was a wandering student.

_Watch this, Siri._

A moment later, Mrs. Norris was flying through the air, courtesy of Harry's shoe. He did not hit hard enough to injure, but certainly hard enough to send her a short distance and cause a respectable amount of pain.

Before the loud yowling that followed could attract any attention, Harry was gone at a dead run, choking back laughter all the way.

His godfather, however, had no need to remain quiet, and roared his approval with booming, hysterical laughter that echoed inside Harry's head.

**_Harry, you're my hero._**

When he reached the portrait hole a few moments later, Harry had to check very carefully to make sure that no one was in the vicinity, then removed his invisibility cloak and stood tall before the Fat Lady.

"In the name of the Lord of this castle, I bid you open," he commanded, in as stern and lordly a voice as he could manage. He flashed a ring that had suddenly appeared on his right hand. It was heavy and covered in Celtic symbols, with a large Ruby cut into the shape of a Gryffin set into the top.

The Fat Lady gasped in surprise. "Lord Gryffindor!" She bowed low in her portrait. "At once, my Lord." A soft click followed, and the door swung open.

"Tell no one I have come here," Harry said, and he entered, swinging the cloak back over him once more. A faint, "Yes, my Lord," was heard just before the door swung shut behind him.

_**Better, but you still sound more like a muggle movie preview narrator than a lord.**_

Harry's only response was to shut his godfather out of his mind.

The common room was mostly dark at this time of night, the only light came from the glowing embers of a nearly-dead fire, and the sliver of a moon that cast a few rays through the windows.

As he passed one of the larger sofas, Harry saw something that made him stop in his tracks.

Ron and Hermione were lying stretched out on the couch, fast asleep in each other's arms. An open book lay on the ground next to them, looking as though it had been dropped when they both fell asleep. They must've been doing homework together.

Hermione's forehead creased just then, the way it always did when she was trying to solve something. She shifted slightly, restless. Ron's arm flexed instinctively, drawing her closer and holding her protectively. She relaxed at once, the creases in her forehead vanishing without a trace.

The scene brought a smile to Harry's lips. It seemed the inevitable had finally caught up to his two best friends, for judging by the position they were in, they'd been very . . . cozy when they were awake as well.

A deep, throbbing ache started somewhere in his stomach and rose to his chest. Oh how he missed them. They were his closest of friends, his brother and sister. And they were right there, so close he could reach out and touch them.

And yet so far away it was as though a great chasm separated them. He could not wake them, could not talk with them, could not reason with them. All his letters to them had gone unanswered, to which he could only conclude they believed Dumbledore. If he woke him now and they created a racket, he would be found and his purpose in coming there be for nothing.

A small tear slipped down his cheek, but he turned away. They needed time. Hermione would figure it out – she always did. That was just the way things worked. Eventually, she would work it out, and all would be right between them again.

One final obstacle stood between Harry and his goal now – the staircase to the girls' dorm. This time, it was Fred and George who had provided the means. Harry slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out four small objects. One sole-shaped pad for each shoe, made out of what looked like ordinary rubber, and one glove for each hand, made out of the same material.

Ignoring the stairs themselves, Harry reached his gloved hand out and placed it on the wall, where it stuck without a sound. The material was marvelous. He was able to pull it off the wall with little trouble to move his limbs to the next hold, but it held like cement otherwise. Fred and George were truly brilliant.

Within moments, he was pocketing the climbing gear at the top of the stairs. He took a deep breath, and headed for the door with the sign that said "fifth years" on it.

* * *

_Several weeks earlier . . ._

"_Hey, Potter, I think that Howler's headed for you."_

_The voice was that of Sergeant Charles Header, of the Magical Infantry Corps of the United States military._

_After arriving in the States, Harry had been sent to a secret magical training grounds, somewhere deep within the Nevada desert. Almost all the base was hidden deep underground, with only a few nondescript buildings on the surface and a large runway space._

_When he had first arrived, Harry had quickly learned that he would not simply be thrown in with the rest of the soldiers trained at the complex. The US government had a special agreement with the young wizard. They would give him the best, most advanced training available, and he would take care of Voldemort._

_To that end, Harry had been tucked away into the most secluded corner of the underground complex, away from almost all of the personnel housed there. His teachers were his only real contacts, aside from the corporal that brought him his meals._

_Header, a small, loud man of 25 with dark hair and skin that belied his Native American heritage, was one of these teachers. In addition to instruction in advanced transfiguration, magical history, combat spellcasting, wandless magic, muggle weapons and tactics, and some of the most powerful and dangerous spells in the world, Harry was learning more than he ever though possible about hand-to-hand combat._

_That was Header's subject. Harry had thought he was fairly proficient at the Martial Arts skills he had gained. He was wrong. Minutes into his first lesson with Header proved that, as he lay on the floor panting, sweating profusely, and aching from numerous bruises and other small injuries all over his body. The sergeant hadn't even breathed hard._

_Though Harry was determined to succeed in defeating the sergeant after that, the two became fast friends. They often shared their meals in Harry's small, cramped quarters, arguing good-naturedly about the differences between Quidditch and America's own magical sport – Quodpot._

_It was on one such day, as they walked down one of the narrow, concrete-and-steel corridors just shortly after lunch in Harry's quarters when Header spotted a white, snowy owl heading towards them._

_Harry's head snapped up at the sound of his friend's voice, his eyes widening suddenly in fear when he saw Hedwig. Sure enough, she had a smoking, red envelope clutched in her talons. She came to rest on his shoulder, a distinctly stern look on her face, as though she agreed with the letter-sender about whatever the howler was sent for._

_Harry untied the letter from Hedwig's leg and stared at it apprehensively. The owl flew up to perch on a pipe that ran along the ceiling as Header laughed next to him. "You're better off if you just open it and get it over with."_

_A lump rose in his throat, but Harry gulped it down and, steeling himself for the worst, slit the envelope open with his finger._

"_HARRY JAMES POTTER!" roared Ginny's magical voice in the close corridor. "JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? I FIND OUT THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN ME MY VERY OWN MINDERS, WATCHING ME EVERYWHERE I GO AND LOOKING AFTER ME. YOU DIDN'T EVEN TELL ME, LET ALONE ASK ME FIRST! I DON'T-"_

_It went on like that for several minutes, as Ginny laid out, in explicit detail, exactly what she thought of him and his meddling in her life like that. Her language became increasingly colorful as time went on as well, until even Sergeant Header, a veteran of swearing of all kinds, looked embarrassed._

_Harry stood and took it, wincing occasionally in the face of the verbal beating by his girlfriend. Finally, after what seemed like hours, it came to the end:_

"_AND ONE MORE, THING, WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT YOU BEING THE OWNER OF HOGWARTS? WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME ABOUT THAT? AND WHAT OTHER SECRETS HAVE YOU BEEN KEEPING? YOU'D BETTER TELL ME EVERYTHING OR YOU'LL WISH TOM _HAD_ KILLED YOU WHEN YOU WERE A BABY!"_

_And with that, the envelope burst into flames until all that remained was a pile of ashes._

_Silence fell for a few moments, until Header finally chuckled, "You were right, that one does have a temper."_

_The joke was a weak one, and it fell on deaf ears as Harry stared at the pile of ashes mournfully. "I've got to see her," he whispered to himself._

_**What? **Demanded Sirius._

_The sergeant heard him and his face paled. "No, Harry, don't try it. You're not supposed to go back to England yet, remember? It's part of the agreement." He placed his hands on Harry's shoulders, forcing the younger man to look at him. "They've agreed to let you stay in this country, despite the fact that you're a wanted man. In return, you're not allowed to leave. I've covered for you once when you went to talk to that headmaster guy, we won't get away with it again. They suspect me."_

_**It's a bad idea, Harry.**_

_Harry's emerald-green eyes locked onto his friend's face, but his expression was far from that lonely corridor. "I've got to see her, Sarge. I've got to." His voiced was determined, a voice both Header and Sirius had heard before. It meant that what Harry said would be done, no matter what it took to accomplish it._

_A sigh escaped his lips, but the sergeant acquiesced nonetheless. "Alright, Harry, I'll help you. But we're doing this my way. It'll be a while before we can try, they're watching you right now. You leave when I say it's okay, not before, got it?"_

_Harry allowed himself to be hauled to his feet, and Hedwig flew down to rest on his shoulder again. "Alright, Sarge," he agreed, and they shook hands on it. "It's a deal."

* * *

_

Looking back at that day, Harry had to laugh. Ginny certainly did have a nasty temper. In retrospect, he knew he should've told her about Dobby. He'd just been so afraid she wouldn't like it and do something foolish, such as try to lose the house-elves, that he tried to hide it. She was so independent sometimes. She didn't like to be thought of as defenseless and in need of protection.

But the simple fact was that she couldn't protect herself against everything, and Harry would do anything to keep her safe. She had to understand that.

The door of the fifth year girls' dorm opened silently, and Harry slipped inside, invisible.

It looked remarkably similar to his own dorm room, with some notable exceptions. There was a large, clean-looking bathroom just off to the right, complete with five separate sinks. There was also more furniture around the room (it must be larger than the boys' version, he realized), including desks with large vanity mirrors, several wardrobes, and a small round table in the center.

A soft light emanated from behind the drawn curtains of one of the beds – the farthest one from the door and the nearest to the window. Judging by the pictures of various redheads scattered around the desk next to it, Harry knew to whom it belonged.

He approached silently, wondering why she was up at this ungodly hour (for it was fully 3 o'clock in the morning).

A small sliver between the curtains allowed him to peek into her bed, and he watched silently for a moment. She was propped up against the headboard of her bed, just . . . sitting there. Her eyes had a blank, glazed-over look about them, despite the fact that they were bloodshot. She stared at the foot of her bed. Her lit wand lay in front of her on the bedcover, its dim light casting ghostly shadows all around her.

"Ginny," Harry finally whispered, unable to let her sit like that any longer. She did not answer, didn't even move or make a sound. "Ginny," he hissed again, slightly louder.

She blinked, once, and her forehead creased as her head turned to look in his direction, but of course she saw nothing.

Cursing under his breath, Harry drew aside the drapes and climbed onto the bed opposite her. Once safely out of sight of prying eyes, he swept the cloak off himself and stated, rather unnecessarily, "It's me."

This must've finally broken Ginny out of her stupor, for her eyes lit up and she squealed out his name as she flung herself at him.

Harry suddenly found himself knocked backwards on the bed and snogged enthusiastically by his girlfriend. Of course, he wasn't complaining.

After a moment or two of this, Ginny abruptly pulled back, her face flushed in embarrassment. She tried to roll off him but Harry grabbed her arms and held her there, her face a few inches above his own.

"Sorry," she whispered, as her blush spread down her neck and her shoulders to the edges of her suddenly far too low-cut nightgown.

"I'm not," Harry muttered, and her blush deepened, prompting him to wonder if she blushed _all_ over.

_Whoa! Bad Harry, bad Harry, _he thought, as a blush spread over his own cheeks. _Now's not the time for thoughts like that._

He finally let go of her arms, and she backed up slowly, until they were both sitting opposite each other once again. "Not quite the reaction I expected," he said, straightening his t-shirt as he tried to fight down his own blush. Ginny ducked her head.

A lot of possible scenarios had entered his mind as to what would happen when he saw Ginny again. She throwing herself at him and snogging him silly was not among them. In fact, most of them ended in him decapitated in some particularly gruesome fashion. All indications were that she had been furious with him.

"So aren't you angry with me?" he asked. She looked up at him and contemplated it for a moment.

"Sort of," she said slowly, then hastily added, "But not as much as at first. I talked with Neville about everything and he . . . helped me understand some things."

Harry made a mental note to buy Neville an entire library of Herbology books.

"Oh," he said out loud, and they fell into an uncomfortable silence. Eventually, Harry could stand it no longer and shifted up to the head of the bed with her and leaned back against it, placing one arm around Ginny as he did so.

"I'm sorry about not telling you," he said, and pulled her closer. "I promise, no more secrets."

She turned into him and snuggled close, her eyes drifting closed, a soft murmur escaped her lips. "Okay."

"Gin?" Harry asked quietly, his hand running slowly up and down her back. A soft "Mmmm" came from against his chest. "What were you doing when I got here?"

Her head lifted slightly and she squinted up at him. "Thinking," she said.

"Thinking?" he laughed. "At three in the morning? Shouldn't you have been sleeping?"

"I can't sleep," she answered simply, and put her head back on his chest again, this time turned so she looked toward the end of the bed.

"Wha-" Harry opened his mouth and closed it again at her odd choice of words. She didn't say she _couldn't_ sleep, as in just for that night. She said she _can't _sleep.

A frown found it's way onto his face. "What do you mean you _can't_ sleep?"

She shrugged against him. "I haven't been able to sleep much since I got here. Dobby won't let me go anywhere any more at night, so I sit here and think."

When he said nothing for several moments, she elaborated further. "I usually just doze during the day, but only when I'm not thinking about it. The rest of the time I'm really restless, especially at night. The only way I can keep from pacing is to just sit and concentrate very hard on . . ."

She trailed off then, and he looked down to find her blushing again. "On what?" he prompted. She mumbled incoherently in reply, but he thought he heard the word "You" somewhere. He let it go.

"And you say this has been happening since you got to Hogwarts?" he asked. She did look it, now that his head was cleared of the effects of snogging. Her beautiful brown eyes were bloodshot and had large, purple bags underneath them, and her shoulders sagged a little, as if the very earth itself was dragging her down.

A few moments passed as she thought back on it, and she finally said, "Before that, right after I got out of the Hospital Wing after Malfoy Manor."

Harry stroked her hair thoughtfully as he pondered this. Though he said nothing more about it to Ginny, he tucked the information away in the back of his mind. This called for him to take a leaf out of Hermione's book and do some research.

The subject changed after that, as Ginny asked about his adventures in America. He told her everything, from meeting the President ("A good man," he told her, "But a little too caught up in trying to please everyone.") and striking a deal with him, to his training in Nevada.

He talked for quite a long time, until he noticed that she had somehow drifted off in his arms. He blinked. Hadn't she just said she hadn't been able to sleep? He pushed away the thought and checked his watch. It was nearly five o'clock, and that meant his time was up.

Straining silently, Harry eased himself out from under his girlfriend and laid her gently on the bed. She frowned in her sleep, but a gentle kiss on her forehead was enough to make it vanish at once.

"Good-bye, my love," he whispered, and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.

* * *

AN

So what'd you think? Please drop me a review, no matter what your thoughts. Even just to tell me you read it.

1) Just to clarify,the president mentioned in this story is NOT George W. Bush or Bill Clinton. He's a made-up man that I haven't even named yet.

2) Yes I do realize I haven't said how he found out he's the heir of Gryffindor yet. Be patient

3) Next chapter is when we first meet Katherine!

Review responses are found on my own personal site. You can find them by going to my author profile, then clicking the "homepage" button. After that, just click "Review Responses" on the site that comes up!

Lastly, there's something I'd like to request everyone's help with. I have played an online game called Kings of Chaos for nearly two years now. At one point, I was ranked in the top 50 players out of nearly 150,000 worldwide. My rank has dropped because I had to quit the game for a while, but now I'm back and trying to regain my spot. I request all of you guys to help me with this. You can read more either in my author profile, or on my site in the section entitlted "Kings of Chaos"

Thanks everyone, and look for another update very soon!


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